With the deadline for Kenny Lunt to sign his new deal at Edgar Street now passed, an announcement from the club is now expected.
Lunt had until the end of May to accept the deal on the table but Crewe boss Dario Gradi has admitted speaking to his former charge, telling The Sentinel:
"Kenny is available and would like to come back, but my budget is tight and I already have Lee (Bell), Ashley Westwood and Luke Murphy for the central midfield roles.
"Perhaps it’s stupid of me not to take the opportunity of bringing in a good player like Kenny when he is free, but he really would be a luxury we can't afford."
Meanwhile another of last season's loanees has been released by his club. Winger Mark Marshall has been let go by Swindon following their play-off defeat at the weekend. He played ten times for the Bulls at the end of 2009, but took another three months afterwards before he made another appearance for the Robins.