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Squire Patton Boggs advising on Derby deal

Firm is acting for Chris Kirchner on takeover of club, which is in administration



Squire Patton Boggs is advising Chris Kirchner, CEO of US software company Slync.io, on the acquisition of Derby County Football Club.


The joint administrators of the club have exchanged contracts for the sale of the business and assets to Kirchner, who is the preferred bidder.


Completion is targeted for on or before 31 May 2022, and is conditional on the sale of the stadium, EFL approval and receiving secured creditor consent.


In the interim period between exchange and completion, funding for the club is being provided by Kirchner, a Squire Patton Boggs statement said.


The Squire Patton Boggs team is being led by corporate partner David Hull (pictured), supported by the head of the firm’s sports and entertainment industry group Stephen Sampson, restructuring and insolvency partner Devinder Singh and real estate senior associate Andrew Chapman, and restructuring and insolvency associate Emily Davis.


Derby County went into administration on 17 September 2021. This led to the club being docked a total of 21 points by the English Football League and led to its relegation from the Championship to League One for the forthcoming season.


Squire Patton Boggs has advised on over 26 football club deals in the last 20 years. The firm has advised on the sell side of the take-overs of Manchester City, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City and the buy side of the take-overs of Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City, Fulham and Wigan Athletic.


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