Bolton look set to avoid seeing their players walk out for free next month by paying them before the end of December.
Wanderers' players were not paid in November as their financial situation lurched into a crisis after owner Eddie Davies withdrew his long-time backing to leave the Championship club in a perilous state.
However, non-playing staff are due to receive their December pay-packet on Monday -- with funds Press Association Sport reported have not come from Davies -- and Neil Lennon's players should now also receive money before the new year.
Lennon had feared that two successive missed pay cheques could prompt members of his team to exercise their right to leave their contracts.
However, ahead of a January transfer window when they may need to cash in on those assets, the Northern Irishman is now hopeful that scenario can be avoided.
"They're due to be paid on the 29th," he explained. "From what I gather they will get a percentage of the money and the rest will be made up by the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association].
"We're hoping the PFA will step in and do their bit so they'll get their full wages for December."
Davies is looking to sell the Championship club -- and is willing to wipe out £185 million of debt owed to him -- and discussions with potential investors have been going on for weeks after he hired advisor Trevor Birch to oversee the process.
Bolton were served with a winding-up petition by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax bill earlier this month but administration, and a subsequent 12-point deduction that would almost certainly consign them to the third tier, should be avoided.
Wanderers own a number of assets, including the Macron Stadium, their training facility at Euxton and the Whites Hotel, and they may have to get creative to buy more time.
"I don't think it's far away now, I really don't," Lennon added of a takeover. "There's new people coming in all of the time. Whether they are serious players or not, I don't know. [Birch] seemed pretty confident that there would be no administration -- which is obviously great news -- and that they can get something done hopefully next month in terms of a takeover.''
Press Association also reported officials from Championship rivals Preston have looked around Wanderers' training-ground facilities at Euxton with a view to possibly moving into the site, however any sale is unlikely.