Oldham Athletic are on the verge of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans and are set to make an announcement on Monday. Sportsmail understands that the former Sheffield United striker will train with the Latics on Monday morning ahead of a move to Boundary Park. Evans, who is staying in a hotel nearby, wants a return to football after being released from prison in October. A club source said a deal is '50-50'. ldham Athletic are on the verge of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans (pictured in Cheshire on Sunday) Ex-Sheffield United striker Ched Evans is without a club after being released from prison in October . Evans could be in line for a return to football after it was announced a League One club could sign him . The developments represent a dramatic U-turn by Oldham, who insisted they had no intention of landing the 26-year-old last month. A statement on December 1 read: 'The Board of Directors would like to confirm that we will not be extending an invitation for Ched Evans to train with Oldham Athletic nor will we be offering him a contract. 'The club will not be making any further comment on this subject.' Senior officials at the club are known to believe Evans' side of the story. They spoke to the player in late November but decided against making a move amid fears it would further tarnish the club's image following the signing of Lee Hughes in 2007. Hughes had served half of a six-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving. Director Barry Owen, a former police officer instrumental in bringing Hughes to Oldham, is understood to have been heavily involved in this deal. Oldham offered Lee Hughes a way back into football in 2007 after he had served three years in prison . Hughes played for Oldham for two years, scoring 25 league goals during his time at the club . Since defeating Rochdale 3-0 on November 29 Oldham's season has suffered a dramatic downturn. Lee Johnson's side have lost four games in a row including a 4-0 home humbling by his dad's Yeovil Town and a 7-0 drubbing at MK Dons. Evans  served two-and-a-half years of a five-year sentence after being found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in 2011. PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said there would be a press conference at an unnamed League One club, but Sportsmail understands there isn't one planned. 'The club are due to hold the press conference tomorrow and I've made it clear to them that I cannot attend tomorrow,' he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. According to one board member of Trust Oldham, the official club supporters trust that has a stake in the club and even provides financial support that can extend to the payment of a player’s wages, they have not been consulted about the possible recruitment of Ched Evans. Ray Coverley told Sportsmail he knew nothing of Evans joining the club. Speaking personally and not on behalf of Trust Oldham, he did however argue that – having served his sentence for rape – Evans was entitled to return to work as a footballer. 'We haven’t discussed it,’ said Mr Coverley. 'But speaking personally I’m of the opinion that if he has served his sentence we can’t keep going on about it. I understand the emotional point, but taking that aside he’s now entitled to play football again.' Maltese side Hibernians announced on Friday that they had offered the 26-year-old  striker a deal for the remainder of the season, but that move was blocked by the Ministry of Justice as Evans is not allowed to work abroad. He was initially given permission by Sheffield United to return to train with the club at the request of players union the Professional Footballers Association. But following a backlash from supporters, sponsors and patrons - with 160,000 people signing a petition opposing his return - the club retracted the offer. Taylor warned that any move for the 26-year-old striker had to be for the right reasons. Evans' attempts to return have so far been fruitless, with clubs turning down the chance to employ him . 'Bearing in mind what happened with his release and then of course the furore that we had at Sheffield United we feel that any club wishing to sign him needs to be 100 per cent committed to signing him for proper and legitimate football reasons,' Taylor added. Any move to sign Evans is likely to lead to public outcry, but Taylor is keen to avoid a similar situation to the one that engulfed Sheffield United after they made their offer to the player. 'I don't want to create a replica-type situation that we had at Sheffield (United) because I'm a little bit concerned that we need press conference and that will invite, of course, many antagonists,' he said. Taylor said the PFA appreciated the situation was 'very sensitive', but reiterated its stance that Evans deserved the chance to resume his career following his release from prison. 'We've made it clear in our statements that we feel he's been unable to say much because of the appeals process, but he has served his time and the job of society is to look to rehabilitate,' Taylor said. The Welsh international's most recent set-back came this weekend, when a move to Malta was blocked . On Friday Maltese side Hibernians revealed that they had made a contract offer to Evans for the remainder of the season, although the BBC quoted a spokesman for Evans denying the player received such an offer. However, any move abroad is unlikely to materialise given the UK's tough regime in managing sex offenders. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We are determined to have one of the toughest regimes in the world for managing sex offenders, to stop them re-offending and to protect victims. 'Probation officers must give permission for sex offenders on licence to take up new jobs and this includes ensuring they hold regular face to face meetings - this effectively rules out working abroad. 'The offenders will also be subject to strict conditions such as exclusion zones, non-contact orders and having to attend sex offender treatment programmes.' Oldham declined to comment.
Oldham Athletic, currently 14th in League One, are set to sign Ched Evans .
Welsh striker has been without a club since coming out of prison .
Evans was offered a contract in Malta, but deal blocked by MoJ .
Oldham Athletic are on the verge of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans and are set to make an announcement on Monday. Sportsmail understands that the former Sheffield United striker will train with the Latics on Monday morning ahead of a move to Boundary Park. Evans, who is staying in a hotel nearby, wants a return to football after being released from prison in October. A club source said a deal is '50-50'. ldham Athletic are on the verge of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans (pictured in Cheshire on Sunday) Ex-Sheffield United striker Ched Evans is without a club after being released from prison in October . Evans could be in line for a return to football after it was announced a League One club could sign him . The developments represent a dramatic U-turn by Oldham, who insisted they had no intention of landing the 26-year-old last month. A statement on December 1 read: 'The Board of Directors would like to confirm that we will not be extending an invitation for Ched Evans to train with Oldham Athletic nor will we be offering him a contract. 'The club will not be making any further comment on this subject.' Senior officials at the club are known to believe Evans' side of the story. They spoke to the player in late November but decided against making a move amid fears it would further tarnish the club's image following the signing of Lee Hughes in 2007. Hughes had served half of a six-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving. Director Barry Owen, a former police officer instrumental in bringing Hughes to Oldham, is understood to have been heavily involved in this deal. Oldham offered Lee Hughes a way back into football in 2007 after he had served three years in prison . Hughes played for Oldham for two years, scoring 25 league goals during his time at the club . Since defeating Rochdale 3-0 on November 29 Oldham's season has suffered a dramatic downturn. Lee Johnson's side have lost four games in a row including a 4-0 home humbling by his dad's Yeovil Town and a 7-0 drubbing at MK Dons. Evans  served two-and-a-half years of a five-year sentence after being found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in 2011. PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said there would be a press conference at an unnamed League One club, but Sportsmail understands there isn't one planned. 'The club are due to hold the press conference tomorrow and I've made it clear to them that I cannot attend tomorrow,' he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme. According to one board member of Trust Oldham, the official club supporters trust that has a stake in the club and even provides financial support that can extend to the payment of a player’s wages, they have not been consulted about the possible recruitment of Ched Evans. Ray Coverley told Sportsmail he knew nothing of Evans joining the club. Speaking personally and not on behalf of Trust Oldham, he did however argue that – having served his sentence for rape – Evans was entitled to return to work as a footballer. 'We haven’t discussed it,’ said Mr Coverley. 'But speaking personally I’m of the opinion that if he has served his sentence we can’t keep going on about it. I understand the emotional point, but taking that aside he’s now entitled to play football again.' Maltese side Hibernians announced on Friday that they had offered the 26-year-old striker a deal for the remainder of the season, but that move was blocked by the Ministry of Justice as Evans is not allowed to work abroad. He was initially given permission by Sheffield United to return to train with the club at the request of players union the Professional Footballers Association. But following a backlash from supporters, sponsors and patrons - with 160,000 people signing a petition opposing his return - the club retracted the offer. Taylor warned that any move for the 26-year-old striker had to be for the right reasons. Evans' attempts to return have so far been fruitless, with clubs turning down the chance to employ him . 'Bearing in mind what happened with his release and then of course the furore that we had at Sheffield United we feel that any club wishing to sign him needs to be 100 per cent committed to signing him for proper and legitimate football reasons,' Taylor added. Any move to sign Evans is likely to lead to public outcry, but Taylor is keen to avoid a similar situation to the one that engulfed Sheffield United after they made their offer to the player. 'I don't want to create a replica-type situation that we had at Sheffield (United) because I'm a little bit concerned that we need press conference and that will invite, of course, many antagonists,' he said. Taylor said the PFA appreciated the situation was 'very sensitive', but reiterated its stance that Evans deserved the chance to resume his career following his release from prison. 'We've made it clear in our statements that we feel he's been unable to say much because of the appeals process, but he has served his time and the job of society is to look to rehabilitate,' Taylor said. The Welsh international's most recent set-back came this weekend, when a move to Malta was blocked . On Friday Maltese side Hibernians revealed that they had made a contract offer to Evans for the remainder of the season, although the BBC quoted a spokesman for Evans denying the player received such an offer. However, any move abroad is unlikely to materialise given the UK's tough regime in managing sex offenders. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'We are determined to have one of the toughest regimes in the world for managing sex offenders, to stop them re-offending and to protect victims. 'Probation officers must give permission for sex offenders on licence to take up new jobs and this includes ensuring they hold regular face to face meetings - this effectively rules out working abroad. 'The offenders will also be subject to strict conditions such as exclusion zones, non-contact orders and having to attend sex offender treatment programmes.' Oldham declined to comment.
Oldham Athletic are on the verge of signing convicted rapist Ched Evans and are set to make Ex-Sheffield United striker Ched Evans is without a club after being released from prison in football after it was announced a League One club but that move was blocked by the Ministry of