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Derby County has been given a valuable month-long extension to its deadline for proving it has the money to keep trading.

The English Football League had previously said the club – which entered administration in the autumn – had until the first day of February to prove it had the funds to stay in business.

Administrators Quantuma recently said there were three different parties interested in buying the Rams, each of which has the “credibility to take the club on”.

However an announcement on the preferred bidder has been held up by financial claims against the club from Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers who said they missed out on millions of pounds in revenues because competitor Derby should have been penalised sooner for getting into financial difficulties.

On Monday the league said it had put back a meeting with Quantuma by 24 hours “following positive developments over the course of the weekend".

Now a joint statement from the administrators and The EFL has said: “Following a formal review of revised financial forecasts at Derby County, the EFL and Quantuma (the club administrators) have today agreed a month-long extension to the deadline set for proof of funding to be provided.

“The EFL board had previously requested evidence by February 1, 2022 of how Derby County was to be financed whilst it remained in administration, alongside a financial plan that determined how the club would fulfil its fixture commitments until the end of the current season.

“Today’s development will allow the club to meet its ongoing obligations whilst giving a further four weeks to continue the discussions with the interested bidders and relevant stakeholders in respect of a sale, alongside providing additional time to seek clarity on the claims from Middlesbrough and Wycombe.