Henry Gabay and Mel Morris: What a new investment partnership will mean for Derby County

The club is in advanced talks with Henry Gabay, the co-founder and chairman of Duet Group, over an investment partnership, and a deal is expected to be completed this month

Derby County owner and chairman Mel Morris has stressed the importance of having the club's best interests at heart in the search for new investment.

Morris has made no secret of his desire to explore options to bring in finance.

"We have probably spoken to 25 to 30 people over the course of the last two years," he said at last month's Derby Telegraph Sports Awards' evening.

It is believed there has been interest from Europe, the United States, Canada and the Far East at various points along the way.

Now the Rams are close to securing new investment.

The club is in advanced talks with Henry Gabay, the co-founder and chairman of Duet Group, over an investment partnership, and a deal is expected to be completed this month.

What will it mean for the club?

The details of the potential deal remain under wraps, as you would expect at this stage, but it is investment and not a takeover.

Whether it takes the form of Morris selling some of his existing shares or the club issuing shares to the new investor remains to be seen.

Given what Morris has been saying this year, he is expected to remain as chairman.

In the summer, he said: "I always would like to be associated with this club and involved with this club. Therefore, that's something I would factor in very heavily in terms of someone looking to do something with us.

"That's not to say I would stand in the way of someone if I could see they could do a better job and had more money. I'd be prepared to stand aside for that. The club's interests are more important than my own."

Morris is keen to help guide Derby to the Premier League.

He has invested significantly to the tune of tens of millions of pounds since he bought the club outright in September 2015 for an undisclosed sum, believed to be around £50m.

"Of course, I would like to see it through. The emotion and 'sweat equity' I have put into this club is incredible," he said in the summer.

And when asked about new investment while receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at last month's sports awards, Morris smiled: "What I can say is whether we have investors or not, I am going to be here, sadly for you guys, for a lot of years!"

New investment could see a new face or two on the board.

Derby announced in October that David Williams and John Kirkland had stepped down from the board of directors. Williams said the move represented a “natural step” in anticipation of potential investment coming into the club.

The timing of new investment could be significant, and exciting, with the January transfer window set to open in a few weeks' time.

Manager Phillip Cocu has said already that the club is looking to add "one or two" new signings alongside former England captain Wayne Rooney who has joined the Rams as player-coach and is eligible to play from January.

Derby are likely to have two January 'wish lists' in place, one with possible investment and one without although that does not mean they can go crazy in the market.