FC NANTES have opened the door for Ivan Klasnic to return to the Reebok on loan next season.

The cash-strapped French club have failed to gain promotion back to Ligue Une, and cannot afford to keep the Croatia international on their books.

A clause inserted in his loan deal last season means Wanderers have got the option of signing Klasnic permanently this summer, but the 30-year-old’s wages are considered to be a stumbling block on top of the £1.5million agreed fee.

Nantes now appear to be willing to come to a compromise, and may offer to pay part of his salary to take him off their hands for another year.

Klasnic has indicated that he would like to stay in the Premier League, having scored eight times in just 12 starts last season for the Whites.

Fans chanted his name on the final day of the season, as he struck what proved to be the winning goal against Birmingham City. Several first teamers, including skipper Kevin Davies, have also indicated that they would like to see him rejoin the camp.

Owen Coyle appeared to have reservations about the former Werder Bremen hitman’s fitness, backed up by the fact that 18 of his 30 league appearances came from the substitutes’ bench.

But following the Birmingham victory, he said the club would investigate ways to bring Klasnic back to the club.

“If it was possible, financially, to sign him, then we would be in there pitching,” he said.

“It’s not as black and white as saying ‘okay, come on board’ because there is a lot of finance involved in it.

“But he’s someone I like, I had a chat with him last week and he loves being at the football club.”

The signing of Aruna Dindane would also appear to complicate matters, although the Ivory Coast striker is cut from very different cloth to the more physical, predatory Klasnic.

It could also raise questions about Johan Elmander’s future at the club, with Davies and youngster Danny Ward already competing for places up front.