Today is a big one for Salford Red Devils as their quest for investment continues. The Super League club are on the verge of having to sell their players to rival clubs as financial issues begin to emerge once again.

Since receiving a £500,000 central funding advancement in November, the Reds have been in discussions with interested parties regarding a takeover, though nothing has materialised as of yet. Salford are being given as much time as possible to secure that investment and even as of Friday morning, there remains hope internally that talks can be advanced and a deal can be reached which would alleviate them from their current dire financial predicament.

However, there is also a realisation and acceptance from within the club that if those discussions are not fruitful within the next few days, they will have to sell their players to secure their short-term future.

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The immediacy of the situation prompted the RFL's chief executive Tony Sutton and RL Commercial chief Rhodri Jones to contact fellow clubs on Wednesday to update them on the situation and to encourage them to start expressing interest in Salford's players.

That process has now started and Rugby League Live can reveal that over half of the clubs currently in Super League have now formally contacted Salford and the RFL and placed offers for the players they are interested in signing should Salford need to cash in.

As a result, it is very much a case of now or never on the investment front for Salford when it comes to the impact it will have on their short-term future.

Should player sales take place, salary cap and quota dispensations will be considered as an option to enhance the options available when it comes to bringing in cash and reducing costs though they would require approval from Super League clubs themselves. A financial restructuring expert appointed by the RFL has stated that £700,000 needs to be cut from the club's operational costs to make it sustainable.

Most Super League clubs are up to salary cap and have also utilised all their quota spots, which would prove restrictive to Salford and their need to sell. However, any dispensations would have to be discussed and approved before being signed off.

This has been viewed as an unideal position and officials across Super League have suggested that clubs who do have salary cap space would be the preferred buyers of players. Likewise, clubs with quota spots would be preferred buyers over a club that has used its seven allocated spots. The feeling among sources is that if dispensations are granted, it should only be for one season.

As it stands, Hull FC are known to be interested in Marc Sneyd and Deon Cross while Love Rugby League revealed on Thursday that Hull KR were one of several clubs to express interest in Nene Macdonald.

At that point Salford, who are under enhanced special measures by the RFL, would then be required to cut their cloth accordingly with the options that have been made available to them.

However, there still remains a glimmer of hope that Salford could still secure the investment that will prevent that process from being required. But it is accepted that it is now or never.

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