Marcus Bignot has confirmed four senior Chester players have turned down offers to move away from the cash-strapped club.

The quartet – all a key part of the Blues first-team – have been subject of permanent and loan offers from clubs in the National League and National League North this week, but the foursome have all opted to remain with the Blues to help their battle to stay up.

Southport – whose assistant manager is ex-Blues boss Jon McCarthy – are understood to have made two of the aforementioned approaches.

Another senior players is also subject of a permanent offer from a lower league side and could leave before Saturday’s clash with Eastleigh.

Shep Murombedzi, who has been playing for free, is in talks with a National League North club and could also move on before the weekend.

“The club have received offers this week for four of our players, permanent deals and loans,” Bignot said, whose side are five points adrift of safety with 14 games to go.

“It’s my understanding that all four of those players have said no and have made it clear they want to stay and help the club.

“I would now expect those four to stay with us but it’s no secret that in the situation we find ourselves, other clubs will feel every one of our players are available.

“Those players deserve every credit for the way they have conducted themselves in terms of their performances and attitude in training whilst all of this has been going on. They are a credit, of course it is going to have a disruptive effect on them but hopefully we can now look forward to Saturday.

“There is a fifth player who we could lose before the end of the week. He’s been the subject of an approach from a team in the league below.

“Shep is talking to a team in National League North and of course, we can’t stand in his way if he wants to go there. He’s been great for us.”

Gary Roberts is set to remain with Chester for another month after the club’s Community Trust stepped in to keep the Blacon midfielder, but Bignot admits offers will continue to come in for his players given Chester’s financial plight.

“Other clubs know our situation and we have to look at things week-by-week,” he added.

“What I have asked of the club is we try our hardest to do any business as early as possible in the week.

“The preparation hasn’t been ideal, that sort of disruption doesn’t help and we have tried to tidy that up before this weekend. The club and the players have a remit to try and make their decisions as early as possible.

“Preparation wasn’t ideal before the Woking game. We lost John McCombe and we could have lost a couple more, then we also lost Andy Halls to injury (hamstring). So ideally if we can have a situation where the squad that come in to train on Thursday morning will all be there on a Saturday, then we can prepare as best as possible.”