As has been the case for large parts of this season, it has been a turbulent week for Derby County as they prepare for one of their biggest games in the last decade this weekend.

The Rams have to beat Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow to ensure that they stay in the Championship. A draw may not be enough if Rotherham manage to win at Cardiff, and a defeat to the Owls would definitely send them into League One.

But off the pitch, Derby's situation is just as nervy. Erik Alonso is still awaiting EFL approval to complete his takeover of the club, but reports from the Daily Mail have recently cast doubt on that.

They reported earlier this week that the proposed takeover was in jeopardy, with the Spaniard reportedly looking to refinance Pride Park in a bid to fund the deal.

Alonso, perhaps unsurprisingly, was quick to squash those claims when he appeared live on talkSPORT on Thursday, and he's now followed that up with a passionate message on Twitter.

The Verdict

Whether Alonso is genuine or not or whether the takeover goes through or not, all of this cannot be healthy for Derby ahead of tomorrow's game.

They need no distractions heading into this one, but the fact their off-field situation remains up in the air says a lot about their season.

Even if they do not go down, I really worry about Derby as Wayne Rooney looks to strengthen his squad and bring in players this summer.