Olivier Elima insists he has not lined up a move away from the Bulls – but wants permission to start speaking to rival clubs.

The France skipper is one of 17 players out of contract at the end of the season and the Bulls’ financial crisis has left him fearing the worst.

He has been heavily linked with Hull FC and Catalan Dragons and knows he cannot bank on the Bulls being in Super League next term.

The ABC consortium have tabled a bid to buy the club but Elima, who enjoyed a short break in France last week, is wracked by uncertainty.

The tough-tackling back-rower, 29, said: “It was good to get away but in the back of my mind, I knew I wasn’t sure what was going on.

“That will always be there until we know for certain.

“I’m waiting for the green light from Bradford to talk to other clubs as they’re not talking to me because they don’t know who the owners will be.

“Going back to France would be an option, whether it be in rugby league or even rugby union.

“I just want to be secure. But I hope to stay in Super League.”

Although the Bulls squad were paid as normal last week, Elima admitted doubts surrounding the club had forced him to cut his cloth accordingly.

The Frenchman, who will return to the side tomorrow night after missing the London game with a knock, revealed: “We don’t know if we’re going to get paid next month.

“I have two kids and one of them was going to nursery three mornings a week and it’s something we just can’t afford, so we had to take her out of nursery.

“My youngest is three-years-old next month and my eldest is six, so my wife has a full-time job looking after them, meaning I’m the only wage-earner in the house.

“We’ve had to look at our direct debits and standing orders and see what we really need.

We’ve had to assess our lives. When my wages went in, my view was that it’s another month where we have to prepare for not getting paid.

We’re not sure we will. It’s another 30 days to get ready and prepare for the worst. That’s the reality of it.