Bolton Wanderers left with only six senior players despite takeover breakthrough
League One club's administrators have found preferred buyer
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Your support makes all the difference.The administrators of Bolton Wanderers have found a preferred buyer for the club, on the day it was announced that their first-team squad has been reduced to just six senior players.
The beleaguered League One outfit entered administration in May after a takeover bid by former Watford chairman Laurence Bassini collapsed.
Administrators announced on Thursday that they have received an acceptable offer for the club, though the identity of the potential buyer is yet to be revealed.
Earlier that same day, the club released its retained list for the 2019-20 campaign, following relegation from the Championship last season.
Only eight members of last year’s first-team squad remain on the books, including two goalkeepers in Ben Alnwick and Remi Matthews.
Jason Lowe, Josh Magennis, Erhun Otzumer and Luke Murphy are the only senior outfield players to remain at the club.
Two others – youngsters Luca Connell and Ronan Darcy – only broke into the first team last season, while Connor Hall spent the year on loan at Accrington Stanley.
Last month, one of Bolton’s final games of the Championship season was cancelled after players went on strike over unpaid wages.
Supporters will hope that Thursday’s breakthrough in finding a suitable buyer for the club will leave enough time to prepare for the new season.
Paul Appleton of David Rubin and Partners, Bolton’s administrators, said in a statement: “I am delighted we have been able to reach a more than satisfactory outcome to this stage of the process and I am confident the preferred bidder has the ability to take Bolton Wanderers forward.
“We are now working towards a signed heads of terms agreement by close of play on June 14 and until that has been signed, we are still bound by the confidentiality agreement within the process.
“But I can assure all Bolton Wanderers fans that the preferred bidder has both the financial ability and the determination to turn around the fortunes of this great football club.”
Bolton will start the 2019-20 League One season with a 12-point deduction as a result of going into administration.
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