WANDERERS are hopeful that a resolution to their wage discussions with the first team squad will be announced within the next few days.

The club has been in talks with players and the PFA in an effort to reduce the wage bill for April, and beyond, to help cope with the loss of revenue which has accompanied the coronavirus lockdown.

Instant wage reductions and deferrals have been discussed and although there has been a degree of resistance from the player’s union, particularly with the number of footballers out of contract at Bolton this summer, it is understood progress has now been made and that an agreement is expected to be reached before this month's salaries are processed.

A club source has also commended the attitude of senior players who have been involved in the negotiations, which have been conducted amicably and sensibly.

Although a number of potential scenarios have been mooted in the press on how the EFL could look to reform football in the future, it looks increasingly like the status quo will be maintained for the time being and that competitive football will be resumed once it is deemed fit by the government to do so.

The Premier League has pushed ahead with what is being dubbed “Operation Restart” with some players returning for individual training yesterday but the EFL has yet to change its stance on clubs returning to training before May 16.

Wanderers are happy to bide by the league’s wishes but are strongly behind plans to cap wages in the bottom two divisions to help regulate costs in the short-term.

Some estimate that revenues will halve in the next 12 months as the restrictions on mass gatherings leave clubs unable to bring fans through the gates or sell season tickets in the summer.

Meanwhile, FIFA has suggested that league amend their rules on substitutions to help teams cope with a potentially heavy fixture schedule.

Under the last published plans the EFL claim that Wanderers’ final 10 games of the season could be completed in 56 days, following a mini pre-season of two to three weeks.

FIFA’s recommendations would allow for two extra substitutions to be made in a maximum of three designated slots, including half time, to prevent too much wasted time.

The proposal is also subject to the game’s law makers, the International Football Board, giving it the all-clear and the EFL adopting it into its rules. "When competitions resume, such competitions are likely to face a congested match calendar with a higher-than-normal frequency of matches played in consecutive weeks," a FIFA spokesperson said.

"Safety of the players is one of FIFA's main priorities then.

"One concern in this regard is that the higher-than-normal frequency of matches may increase the risk of potential injuries due to a resulting player overload."

FIFA has also underlined that competitions should not re-start until it is deemed that it will not impact upon the public’s wellbeing.

"Football should only resume when the health authorities and governments say it is absolutely safe and non-disruptive of health services being delivered to the populations,” a spokesperson said.