How wealthy the Derby County owner is compared to the EFL's richest clubs | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at how the Rams' owner ranks compares to other owners in the EFL in terms of wealth.

Derby County have been relatively frugal in the transfer market this season, spending over a million pounds on just two players in Jacob Widell Zetterstrom and Sondre Langas.

The latter cost the Rams £4m and he was signed just a day after Eiran Cashin's £9m move to Brighton & Hove Albion was confirmed. Owner David Clowes has made significant investments into the club during his nearly three years at the club, but he is looking to let go of 80% of his shares.

The East Midlands outfit have found it difficult to compete in the Championship in their first campaign in the division since 2021/22, but with John Eustace now at the helm, there is hope that they can turn a corner and get themselves away from the relegation zone before the curtain closer in May.

Football League World has taken a look at Clowes' net worth and how his wealth compares to some of the richest owners in the EFL, as Derby fight to retain their second tier status for another year following promotion from League One last season.

Clowes' net worth is modest compared to some of Derby's rivals' owners

Finances in football has become an incredibly hot topic over the course of the last decade, and teams up and down the pyramid are looking for ways to become profitable while also having a positive impact on the pitch.

The Rams are no different, with Clowes spending £55m to take the club out of administration following Mel Morris' exit in September 2021, and supporters have been thankful for the money that he has spent so far on the club.

However, as is always the case in football, there is a desire for more and the 55-year-old is looking to sell some of his stake in Derby to help the team go to the next level on the pitch with additional funding.

Clowes himself has a net worth of £360m, according to The Sunday Times Rich List 2024, with the former Rams season ticket holder making his money through his family's company, Clowes Developments.

While Derby's owner does have an incredible amount of financial strength, in comparison to some of those in the EFL, it is a relatively small pot.

Sunderland's main stakeholder, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, has control of a trust fund worth around £2bn, with the Black Cats involved in the promotion picture.

Meanwhile, QPR are owned by a trio of businessmen, with Ruben Gnanalingam, Richard Reilly & Amit Bhatia all backing the club with a varying amount of financial backing. The former is reported to have the highest stake in the club, and him and his family have an estimated net worth $1.6bn (£1.2bn), as per Forbes.

Stoke City's John Coates is reportedly worth $4.6bn (£3.66bn). Nevertheless, his side are still struggling at the bottom end of the Championship table.

Clowes has stabilised Derby financially

While they are not one of the richest clubs in the Championship, Clowes has done well to rebuild the club from the ground up after taking over in its final hour.

The Rams may still suffer relegation back to League One, but if they do, they will go down in a much better position than the one they were in the last time it happened.

There is still plenty of time for Derby to change their fortunes, and with Clowes in the boardroom supporting Eustace, there is still a strong possibillity that the East Midlands outfit will start next season in the second tier for another year.