Buyers will have to prove they have the money

ON THE BLINDSIDE

BY NEIL FISSLER

Prospective Worcester Warriors buyers could be asked to produce proof of funds for between £30 and £40m to buy the club if they go into administration.

The club could this week be plunged further into crisis when the August wage bill which has been put at between £600,000 and £700,000 is due.

Administration is the most likely option for the club, which would at least reduce the £6m the club owes HMRC.

According to Blindside sources, a new owner would need to prove that they could run the club at a £2m loss per annum for the next five years.

Failure to pay the players’ wages this week would place the Warriors in breach of contracts and would open the doors for many of their best players to be cherrypicked.

The club were late paying wages in May, but only players and staff who were already leaving Sixways were affected so it didn’t put them in breach with players who were staying.

The vultures have been circling since it emerged the club were having serious financial problems almost two weeks ago.

We understand that Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe is attracting some interest from his former club Edinburgh and that his CV is doing the rounds in France.

Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers are both keen on England flanker Ted Hill who is also a target for Wasps, while England centre Ollie Lawrence is attracting interest from France.

In demand: Bristol and Leicester are both keen on Worcester flanker Ted Hill