Mel Morris is continuing to pay Derby County's wages despite trying to sort a takeover out of the club, according to Alan Nixon.

The Rams have had various issues regarding finances and a potential sale of the club over the last year, and the problems remain with a potential League One relegation hanging over their head if the EFL decide to take the findings of an independent panel even further.

Morris has also struck two deals in the past to sell the club - firstly to Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Khaled but after months of stalling, the plug was pulled back in March which left the future of the club in doubt.

Then Spanish businessman Erik Alonso entered the frame and he promised a lot of things, but after failing to complete a deal it was called off completely back in May.

There has been no real movement on the takeover front since then and it's all gone quite quiet, so even though he's actively trying to leave Morris has had to dip into his own pockets to pay the squad's wages.

Normally wages would be paid from money that is in the club's bank, however it is clear that Morris is having to invest extra finances despite wanting a sale of the club to make sure that players are paid on time and the full amount.

The Verdict

Many will say that Morris is just doing what he is supposed to do - however some owners as we have seen in the past and recently will not even do the bare minimum.

Even at Sheffield Wednesday in recent months Dejphon Chansiri has failed to pay his players, so Morris should be applauded for doing what is right by Derby County despite actively trying to get a way out of the club - even if nothing has come to fruition yet.

The best case scenario for the Rams will be for a competent consortium to come to the table and take the club off Morris' hands, and for the wrangle with the EFL to be resolved as quickly as possible as that is probably affecting any potential deal being done.

For now though the club are being left in limbo with the only real positive being that players are being paid.