Wigan Warriors has announced its intention to make a bid to buy Wigan Athletic.
Chairman Ian Lenagan revealed he is working with advisors to find other investors with the intention of "making a bid in due course".
In a statement, Lenagan said he believes the club is best being “locally-owned”.
The initiative is also being led by Darryl Eales and Gary Speakman.
It comes after the club announced it had entered administration on July 1, citing the coronavirus outbreak as one of the reasons behind its financial woes.
The news sent shock waves through English football, with Wigan being the first football club to be seriously hit by the pandemic.
Administrators from Begbies Traynor said the "recent fortunes of the club" had been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and suspension of the Championship during the first three months of lockdown.
After the announcement, the English Football League (EFL) confirmed that Wigan would be deducted 12 points as a result of the club's cash woes, putting it at serious risk of relegation to League One.
In a statement, the club said: “Wigan Rugby League Club were saddened to hear the news that Wigan Athletic has been placed into administration.
“Having shared a stadium together for many years and with a large number of fans supporting both clubs, we have become friends with many of the management and staff and we know that this is a very worrying time for them all.
“Being born and bred in Wigan, Ian Lenagan and Gary Speakman understand what both clubs mean to the local community.
“We strongly believe that Wigan Athletic is better being locally-owned.
“As sustainability and ownership of the stadium is equally important to both clubs, we are currently working with our longstanding advisers KPMG and talking to external parties.
“Our intention is to identify other investors quickly and start due diligence on the football club with the intention of making a bid in due course.
“We have made the Administrators aware of our interest and hope to explore this with them further over the days ahead.
“Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic are both local sporting institutions and it is our belief that this is a unique opportunity here to bring the ownership of these two great clubs together under one roof, each operating independently as before, but under a Wigan Sporting Partnership banner.
“It is envisaged that each club would retain all its training grounds, management and facilities.
David Molyneux, the Leader of Wigan Council, has confirmed that “Wigan Council would be very supportive of this initiative”.
