Derby County owner David Clowes' search for new investment has resulted in him working with the man who helped broker his takeover of the club.

Jonathan Price - founder of Union Rights Management, a company which promotes itself as a sales advisory service for sports business owners - earned £100,000 from the part he played in Clowes taking the club out of administration in the summer of 2022.

Price initially worked with Derby's previous owner Mel Morris, who put the club into administration, when he was searching for financial backers.

Clowes' own search for fresh investment, which has been going on for a year, has resulted in Price being involved in board meetings.

When Price's continued presence at Derby was first raised, in late 2023, BBC Radio Derby reported, external that he was there without any attachment to former owner Morris.

Derby chief executive Stephen Pearce insisted Price is working only in an advisory role and does not influence how the club operates.

When challenged by BBC Radio Derby about Price reportedly having a say in the decision to sack head coach Paul Warne in February, Pearce replied: "That's absolutely not true."

Pearce added: "He has no operational or decision-making power in terms of day-to-day on the football club.

"Jonathan Price is just an adviser to David and there are no secrets. It's not a mystery figure.

"Jonathan works for David in terms of (being) his representative in those investment discussions."

Pearce said Price has been entrusted by Clowes to lead the search for investors and is "having conversations" with potential financers.

"I introduced Jonathan initially to Mel when he was struggling in terms of investors," said Pearce.

"And Jonathan was the one that effectively got David to the table and managed to sell the football club to David after initially getting him to buy the stadium.

"So there is no myth or secret. And because of the work he did, and the relationship he built with David, he has continued to represent him in investment discussions that David has had since then.

"Obviously he has to be across issues that are ongoing and has to be involved to know what's going on because he is that lead person having conversations with investors."