Bodin could leave permanently - Di Canio

The Wales Under-21 international returned from a loan spell at Torquay earlier this month and was in the squad for games against Rotherham and Macclesfield.

Di Canio has previously said he is happy to keep Bodin, who is out of contract at the end of the season, at the County Ground as one of his five strikers.

But with Town understood to be close to their wage limit, some players may have to leave if the club are to bring in new ones before the transfer window shuts at midnight tomorrow.

And Di Canio has confirmed that if Bodin is to leave this week, it will almost certainly be on a permanent basis.

“I am 90 per cent sure that if Billy leaves it will be permanently, because then it would give us a chance to go through in a different way with other players,” Di Canio told the Advertiser.

“Nothing is done yet. Situations like this are always difficult because he is a talent and I want to keep him.

“But I know he was also happy at Torquay, he played regular football there.”

A return to Torquay, who like Town are challenging for promotion this season, is most likely with Martin Ling having openly spoken of his desire to sign the Swindon youth product.

Di Canio, though, insists he will be happy to keep Bodin at the club if a move away fails to materialise.

“Billy is a very good guy, he is a real professional and he is a real talent, but I cannot force him to stay,” added Di Canio.

“Should he have this desire, and we can get a good, good deal out of it, then we will see.

“If nothing happens I am happy to have him here because he is young, talented and is intelligent. He has already improved a lot in the last four or five months.

“Nothing is done yet and we will see.”

A decision is expected to be on Bodin's future within the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, there were no further developments on Mehdi Kerrouche's long term future, although Di Canio did confirm he will again not be included in his first team squad tomorrow night should he remain at the club.