Salford investment pushed back AGAIN amid doubts, ridicule and wage worries
SALFORD are being forced to wait a little longer for their much-promised investment to happen.
A consortium headed by Swiss businessman Dario Berta has found itself ridiculed after a string on cash crises ravaged the club.
Now staff have been told they will have to hang on even more before things can really move forward.
Currently, the targeted date of May 10 is being worked to, rather than mid-April.
However, SunSport understands there is a chance of players waiting for their wages for a THIRD straight month even though work on funding payroll, scheduled for April 24, has already started earlier than in February and March.
And an offer to tackle HMRC debts totalling £500,000 has been made, with the belief a lawyer can hold off any winding up order until things progress.
Heads of Terms for a stadium and land deal, which was always meant to come first, are not far off being agreed.
That would open up at least some of the money – thought to be in the region of £100 million – sources close to the multi-national group have repeatedly assured IS there.
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It is believed that once any deal is completed, 20 per cent of the stadium’s value – £2.8 million – will appear on Salford’s balance sheet, with naming rights likely to be sold and other ways of making the facility bring in more money being looked at.
Ways of making the club start to pay for itself are also being explored, and talks over squad strengthening have been held.
But it is believed the owners are not afraid of taking the drop to the Championship and only once there is high confidence something tangible will come, rather than plunging money into what is seen as a black hole, will the group of 10 give it their all.
Prioritising other, larger, schemes is thought to be why the mid-April date has been pushed back, raising the spectre of even tighter restrictions being out in place.
Skipper Kallum Watkins’ departure to tonight’s opponents Leeds makes it four key players having left after Marc Sneyd, Brad Singleton and Tim Lafai. Chris Atkin and Deon Cross may be next.
And SunSport has been told fears the £1.2 million sustainability cap, which severely restricts boss Paul Rowley’s selection, may be cut further to just £800,000-a-year are rising.
That would see more players sold, with insiders admitting it is a consequence of the club living way beyond its means.
While Salford crawl through the mire, Leeds – who have loaned forward Toby Warren for the remainder of the season as part of the Watkins deal – face uncertainty themselves, over coach Brad Arthur.
The Australian is wanted for longer at Headingley but the lure of the NRL may prive too strong.
Arthur said: “I’m enjoying it, I really am, but I want to coach in the NRL again and I’d like to come home.
“Who knows what’s going to happen? Hopefully I’ll get another chance and see what happens.”