Wigan Athletic: Member of bidding team drops out after EFL block takeover

Wigan Athletic are bottom of the League One table having won just three times in 15 games this season

A member of the Spanish consortium looking to buy Wigan Athletic has dropped out after the English Football League blocked the takeover deal.

The EFL said on Friday that the prospective new owners had "failed to satisfy their requirements".

One member of the bidding team, who was to supply a small amount of funding, is subject to a disqualifying condition set out by the EFL's regulations.

Despite this, the rest of the consortium are pressing ahead.

"By mutual consent, this member and all members of the bidding team related to this member have been removed from the process and from the bidding team," a statement from the club's joint administrators said.

"The funds that were to be provided... are not to be utilised by the club going forward."

The statement said that another member of the bidding team had "already provided proof of funding to show sufficient funds for the acquisition and two years trading as required".

The administrators added: "We are continuing to work with the EFL and are in the process of providing revised submissions to reflect the revised position of the bidder with the hope of bringing this matter to a satisfactory conclusion."

Wigan have been in administration since July and were relegated from the Championship due to the points deduction that followed.

The consortium agreed a deal to buy the club in September and the exclusivity period was extended twice to help it go through before the EFL's intervention on Friday.

Since their relegation, the club have been forced to sell a number of players and have seen two managers, Paul Cook and John Sheridan, leave.

They are currently without a manager and are bottom of League One with just three league wins from 15 games this season.