LAURENCE Bassini is one of the five bidders being considered by Bolton Wanderers’ administrators to buy the club.

The former Watford owner will be asked, alongside the other parties in the race, to submit his full and final offer by 4pm today.

One bid was ruled out on Monday, narrowing the field to five, but The Bolton News understands that Bassini is still in the race and confident he will be able to meet the criteria laid down by both the administrators and the EFL.

Another bidder in the reckoning is believed to be the Football Ventures consortium who came close to buying the club solvent earlier this year.

Local businessman Michael James is among four directors listed in the company, set up in January to facilitate the previous bid. Others involved include Parminder Basran, Sharon Brittan and Jeff Thomas.

James has substantial loans tied up in the Bolton Whites Hotel, and also owns car parking land and offices at the University of Bolton Stadium sold to him by the club in what was then termed a “commercial agreement” in early 2016.

A decision on the new owner will be made on Friday but it is not yet been decided whether the identity of the winning bid will be disclosed immediately as they sign head of terms agreement.

Meanwhile, reports claiming Ben Alnwick and Josh Magennis could be released from the final year of their contract to save money are wide of the mark.

Alnwick is apparently being monitored by Wigan Athletic, Huddersfield Town and Charlton Athletic, while Magennis is said to be on Rangers’ radar.

While ongoing wage problems mean both players could hand in their notice to terminate their deal, in a similar way that Sammy Ameobi and Pawel Olkowski did this summer, it is understood there is no desire on the part of the club’s administration to cut short their contract.

Alnwick has voiced his desire to help rebuild Wanderers next season, while Magennis – who was in action for Northern Ireland last night – has said he will return to play for Bolton “until told otherwise”.