West Ham United's owners are set for a boost from the Icelandic courts.

The Guardian says the Hammers owners are on the verge of securing a vital court victory providing a further three months' protection from bankruptcy, giving them until the summer to negotiate the club's sale.

Hansa, the club's parent company, is now almost certain to secure another three-month cessation period after the only major creditor seeking to plunge it into bankruptcy and force a fire sale of its assets changed its position to allow for sale of the club in orderly fashion.

West Ham will hope that a recent upturn in fortunes on the pitch under Gianfranco Zola, plus the fact that that it owns its own ground in London, has taken steps to rationalise its wage bill and is relatively debt free will encourage potential bidders despite the fact that several clubs of a similar size are also open to offers.

Since particulars were sent out by Standard Bank in December, it is understood that five non-disclosure agreements have been signed but that none have yet progressed to full due diligence.