The Football League are insisting Derby County's administrators prove they have enough money to finish the Championship season.

Quantuma, Derby's administrators, have been ordered to show they can provide the estimated £13.5million to ensure the Rams can make it to the end of the campaign, says The Sun.

The figure is significantly higher than Derby's current cash-on-hand, and would require Quantuma to secure loans to cover the shortfall.

Finances are such that there is enough money to cover manager Wayne Rooney and his squad's wages until January.

But should Derby be unable to prove further funds, they could be placed under a transfer embargo, effectively ending any chance of Rooney using the January transfer window to either sell players or bring in talent to keep his club's Championship hope alive.

Derby are currently rock-bottom with just three points, although without the deduction they would be 15th in the table.