Though no-one from Sale has made any official comment yet on whether they have struck a deal with Peel Holdings and Salford City Council, the joint owners of the new 12,000 seater stadium, time is of the essence regarding the long-running negotiations over a potential move which first began last year.
Premiership entry rules stipulate that all top-flight clubs have to register their declared ground for the following season by March 31, a deadline that passed at the weekend.
There was speculation that the Sharks had reached agreement last week but the understanding is that those reports were premature.
All along, with the knowledge that they had the Edgeley Park ace up their sleeves, Sale have privately stressed that any deal has to make solid business sense and that stance hasn’t changed.
However, the issue is likely to be resolved imminently with an announcement possible some time this week.