Erik Alonso has revealed his delight as he looks set to become the new owner of Derby County.

It was revealed last month that the Spanish businessman was in 'advanced talks' to buy the Rams, and a significant development arrived this morning, with The Athletic confirming that Alonso has agreed to buy the club.

Whilst the deal still needs to be approved by the EFL before it is official, that should be a formality, and an announcement should be made in the coming weeks.

And, sharing a statement on Twitter, Alonso revealed how pleased he was to do a deal for the Championship side, as he vowed to back Wayne Rooney in the summer.

"We are privileged to take ownership of one of the founding members of the Football League and to build a fresh future for the fans, staff and players of Derby County.

"We are looking forward to working with Wayne Rooney and his team, and will do everything possible to support the club’s vision and ambition."

Rooney will be pleased by the news as he looks to reshape the squad in the summer, although his only focus now will be on keeping the Rams in the Championship. They are eight points clear of relegation with six games to play.

The verdict

It's nice for Derby fans to hear from Alonso hear, and his comments here come across well. He is clearly proud to be on the verge of owning the Rams, which is good to see.

As well as that, the line about Rooney shows that he will be giving the boss the backing that he desperately needs in the summer.

Of course, it's now about waiting for the deal to be finalised, and Derby fans won't be getting carried away as they've been in this position before!

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.