Five things Chris Kirchner must do to rebuild Derby County

Chris Kirchner is set to officially become the new owner of Derby after exchanging contracts for the sale of the club with administrators Quantuma, who are targeting completion by May 31.

"The joint administrators can confirm that they have exchanged contracts for the sale of the business and assets of The Club with preferred bidder, Chris Kirchner," a spokesperson for Quantuma said on Tuesday.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Kirchner said he did not "anticipate any issues" in seeing the sale through as he called it a "day I'll never forget".

Telegraph Sport looks at the immediate things Kirchner needs to address.

Reclaim Pride Park

Eight months after Derby slid into administration, Pride Park Stadium is still owned by former chairman Mel Morris and a sale of the club cannot be fully concluded until this hurdle is removed.

It is an issue which has, so far, proved insurmountable and threatened the very future of this famous club.

It is also an incredibly complex situation which administrators Quantuma have either underestimated or underplayed, made even harder by the fact that Morris and Kirchner are allegedly refusing to engage.

Morris wants £20m for the stadium (which is also owed to American loan company MSD Holdings, who hold the charge) and has stipulated that any bidder can lease the stadium with an option to buy, thereby allowing a bidder to put more money into the club.

Derby City Council have previously attempted to purchase Pride Park but now it is understood that a local businessman is in talks to buy the stadium and then lease it to Kirchner.

Negotiations are ongoing, but appear promising, with May 31 the deadline for a sale of the club.

Sort Wayne Rooney's future

Rooney performed one of the most outstanding managerial jobs of the season, defying the doubters to keep Derby in contention for a great escape until the final weeks of the season.

He was the figurehead for a crisis club in administration and mired in uncertainty, sustaining a 21-point deduction, player departures and constant hurdles. In the words of one former player: “there was something new for him to overcome every day.”

Inevitably, Rooney has earned attention for his work this season and already turned down the opportunity to speak to Everton earlier this year.

He has a year left on his current deal but Kirchner has made a new long-term contract a priority.

Rooney has always maintained that he will stay at Derby if Kirchner completes his takeover and ensures it is a functioning football club. If he stays, it will also have a major effect on the futures of his players.

Sign new players quickly

After a tortuous season which ended in relegation to League One, Derby’s squad is now beyond threadbare with only five senior players contracted to the club - Krystian Bielik, Max Bird, Jason Knight, Louie Sibley and Jack Stretton.

Many players are now out of contract, including their hugely influential player of the year Curtis Davies, Tom Lawrence, Ravel Morrison, Nathan Byrne and Richard Stearman, plus nearly a dozen academy products.

Derby are clearly vulnerable to offers from clubs in the Premier League and Championship, with teenager Malcolm Ebiowei and Lawrence both admired, but a sale offers clarity and hope.

Urgency is required if Rooney is to have a genuine chance of mounting a promotion challenge in the third tier.

Rebuild the academy

Derby’s academy was one of the most highly-regarded in the country 12 months ago, but has been completely decimated since administration.

Only a handful of under-23 players remain, and almost all of the best young talents have been sold. Kaide Gordon was sold to Liverpool before administration, but many others have followed including Dylan Williams, Omari Kellyman, Kain Ryan and more youngsters at the junior levels.

It is a sad indictment on Mel Morris, who previously said the academy would be his legacy when he left.

There are many devoted, loyal coaches, plus the players and their parents, who have been fearing what the future may bring.

Away from the first-team, the academy is a crucial part of Derby County and needs rebuilding from top to bottom - it must never suffer the collateral damage of the last eight months again.

Off-field matters

Time is off the essence away from the field, too. Derby urgently need to thrash out a pre-season schedule for Rooney, and agree a deal for them to have a kit to play in.

Season tickets are expected to be available soon, after being put on hold with the club in administration. Many supporters are desperate to renew and play their part in Derby’s future.

A range of other commercial deals also have to be thrashed out, now there is a degree of certainty.

Many staff have departed during this torrid period and need to be replaced, while Kirchner will need to recruit a proper structure to the club’s hierarchy.

Garry Cook, the former Manchester City chief executive, will have a major role at the club. Paul Stretford, Rooney's agent and the owner of Triple S Sports & Entertainment, is also expected to be heavily involved in the club’s forward planning.