THE Colin Hendry transfer saga rumbled on today after Sam Allardyce, believing he had everything sewn up last Friday, admitted the deal was in danger of collapsing.

The Wanderers' boss claims a dispute between Hendry and his current club, Coventry City, is threatening to scupper the three month loan transfer he expected to have finalised over the weekend.

"It's a little bit delicate at the moment," he revealed, "I think it's hanging in the balance because of a dispute between Colin and the club. I think we've more or less got things sorted out on our side but there's a little bit of trouble Colin has to sort out.

"I hope he can do that but, if he can't, we'll have to go and look for somebody else."

The 35-year-old Scotland centre-back, out of favour at Highfield Road and desperate for first team football to resurrect his international career, was understood to be making a substantial contribution to fund the short-term transfer.

Forty-eight hours after conceding that he could not secure a deal, Allardyce revealed that Hendry had "helped" put together a financial package he described as "exceptionally good".

No details were given but it was believed the player himself was funding part, if not all, of the loan fee said to be as high as £150,000.

But it appears the former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City star still has to sort out cash problems at the Coventry end.

Meanwhile, the rumour mill suggests Wanderers have lined up Senegal captain Anadou Fall, who plays for the Port Autonome club, as a possible long-term replacement for Hendry.

Allardyce has also been linked again, along with Saturday's opponents Wimbledon, with Brighton's 19-year-old top scorer Bobby Zamora, who has scored 15 goals for the Seagulls since a £100,000 switch from Bristol Rovers last summer.