Eric Steele, a former Rams goalkeeper and coach, says that Wayne Rooney needs to rebuild his reputation in League One.
Derby only have five players contracted for next season and can't renew their contracts as they remain in administration.
Rooney has not paid a transfer fee for any player during his time in charge.
Steele said people will come and play for Rooney.
He has never had a budget and has not signed a player that he has paid for. He had to fight to get players. They want to play for him so he has them.
Steele said that Rooney will have impressed prospective players with what he has achieved in a difficult situation at Pride Park in his first job in management.
Steele said that they would want to come because of what he did as a player, but also because of what he has done as a coach.
The only first-team players at Derby who will be involved in the Championship next season are Krystian Bielik, Max Bird, Jason Knight, and Louie Sibley.
The contracts for their defenders and goalkeepers are up in the summer.
Chris Kirchner, who was named as the preferred bidder to buy the club earlier this month, intends to take over funding from 7 May even though he doesn't think the takeover will be completed until June.
Rooney said that he wants to stay in charge of the club, but added that his future at Pride Park is dependent on the sale going through.
Steele said taking the club out of administration and allowing Rooney to sign players is important.
Steele said that the sands of time have begun in terms of getting players in.
You want Chris to tell Wayne this is his budget. The sooner he hears those words, the better for Wayne and the squad.
It will be important to act quickly to keep experienced players such as goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, centre-half Curtis Davies and defender Nathan Byrne.
Steele said that players who have played with Wayne could be tempted to stay.
Not all of them have to leave. If Wayne is able to offer contracts, he could keep five or six of them.
They are the kind of signings you can make, ready-made players, we know what they can do and who can handle League One.
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