Louie Sibley update offers Derby County fans glimmer of hope amid off-field struggles: Opinion | OneFootball

The last week has been a particularly difficult time to be a Derby County fan, which is saying something given what they’ve had to endure over the last 18 months or so.

Selling Graeme Shinnie to Wigan Athletic for a reported fee of just £30,000 will have left alarm bells ringing for many fans and The Sun’s report on Sunday that the Rams could be expelled from the EFL if they’re unable to prove by the 1st of February that they have funds in place to ensure they can complete their 2021/22 fixtures will have left them even more concerned.

However, the way Millwall’s pursuit of 20-year-old midfielder Louie Sibley has been dealt with by Quantuma, the club’s administrators, offers supporters a glimmer of hope about the future of their club.

According to South London Press, Millwall have had a fourth offer worth £450,000 rejected for Sibley and are now looking at other targets after ending their pursuit of the Derby youngster.

It is understood that the Lions were told by Quantuma that Sibley, whose contract runs until 2024, will not be leaving Pride Park this month.

That is a stance that offers hope to Rams fans about the future of their club and one outlines that it seems the administrators remain determined to protect that future.

There will have been worries after Shinnie’s departure and Sunday’s report about the threat of expulsion that a fire sale would follow and that Derby may be stripped of their assets before the end of January.

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Further sales could and likely will still happen this month – particularly if the administrators are unsuccessful in their reported search for new investments – but at this point, there remains a determination to protect the future of the club.

That should offer supporters some hope that if Derby can get through this difficult period and a new owner can be found, there will be a lot to be positive about moving forward and some fantastic young talents – including Sibley – at the club to help them step into a new era.