Halfords is among the businesses circling stricken online bike retailer Wiggle, which fell into administration late last month.
Sky News reported that the retailer had put forward a bid to snap up Wiggle, joining Evans Cycles-owner Frasers Group in the race.
Next is also understood to have been weighing up a bid, although a spokesman for the company denied on Thursday that it was interested.
Subscribe to Retail Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest news straight into your inbox each morning
Wiggle, which employs about 450 people, is continuing to trade during the administration process with FRP Advisory handling the insolvency.
Halfords has stepped in to honour warranties on products bought from the online bike retailer and its sister company Chain Reaction, after its owner Signa Sports United (SSU) was forced to file for insolvency.
SSU’s parent company, Signa, ended a£130m funding commitment to the division as it finds itself engulfed in a financial crisis.
The group’s cash crunch has left questions hanging over Frasers Group’s acquisition of Signa-owned German business SportScheck, as it’s understood the retailer is teetering on the brink of collapse.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
