Bolton Wanderers say Football League officials have conditionally approved a sale of the club.

Bolton issued a statement after a specialist judge gave the club more time to pay a £2.2m tax bill and refused to grant a winding-up application by HM Revenue and Customs.

The registrar Clive Jones had analysed evidence at a high court hearing in London and said the case would be reviewed in two weeks.

Tax authority officials had asked for Bolton – who slipped to the bottom of the Championship on Saturday after losing 2-1 at Leeds – to be wound up after complaining the club had not paid a £2.2m bill.

However, a lawyer representing Bolton said “significant progress” had been made in sale plans.

“The club have received conditional approval to the transfer of ownership from the Football League,” a Bolton spokesman said in the statement.

“The board would again like to thank all staff at the club for their loyalty and unfaltering commitment to the cause through this incredibly difficult period.”