Adam Pearson, the Derby County executive chairman, today refused to confirm holding talks with a consortium headed by a member of the Disney family.

Reports today suggested Pearson has been in discussions with the Shamrock hedge fund, spearheaded by Roy Disney, nephew of Walt, about the possibility of a takeover at Pride Park.

Pearson, the former Hull City chairman, was unhappy with a headline in one of today’s newspapers branding Derby a ‘Mickey Mouse club’, calling it “cheap and potentially damaging”.

“I stressed when I took on the chairmanship that I would not engage in media speculation with regard to investment and I will restate again here that I won’t be saying anything until a deal is done," he added.

“At that stage, the fans of Derby County will be the first to know.”

Pearson paid a reputed £3.5 million last month to buy a controlling share in the Barclays Premier League club from predecessor Peter Gadsby.

As well as backing manager Billy Davies, despite the club’s increasingly desperate-looking position at the bottom of the table, he made it his immediate aim to seek new investment.

Pearson has confirmed that the USA and Asia are two key sources of potential investment but has denied that any deal is imminent.