YORK City's owner, JM Packaging, has said it has held direct talks with the Rugby Football League about "ensuring semi-professional rugby league is maintained within the City of York".

The future of York City Knights beyond this season remains up in the air, with owner John Guildford having said he is leaving at the end of this term and with a club statement this week confirming they were up for sale.

It is believed the JM Packaging plan would be to set up a new club to replace the Knights rather than negotiate buying or taking over the current outfit.

The Malton-based company are owned by City chairman Jason McGill and made a statement in response to the Knights' press release earlier this week which had said that "despite the media reports that YCFC owners are interested in taking over the Knights no expression of interest has been made by them to either the RFL or the Knights".

JM Packaging also urged a speedy resolution, saying any further delays could "potentially have damaging long-term consequences for the club".

Its statement said: "Following an inaccurate statement to the contrary earlier this week JM Packaging Limited is anxious to reaffirm its sincere determination in pursuing attempts to ensure semi-professional rugby league is maintained within the city of York.

"Discussions have been held with the RFL to establish how this objective may be achieved as City of York Council has clearly indicated that allowing rugby to continue at Bootham Crescent for the 2017 and 2018 seasons is subject to adequate resolution of ongoing ownership matters.

"In this respect the owner of York City Knights has within the last two months announced the club would be closing as a business (July 21), the handing over of the club subject to contracts on a virtually debt free, going concern basis as his gift to professional rugby league in York (July 25), and this week, after failing to deliver on either of the two previous aspects, being put up for sale with buyers invited to come forward (September 13).

"Let us therefore be under no illusions that for the rugby club to achieve aspirations undoubtedly held by the coach, players and supporters will require business acumen, operational capability and a financial commitment.

"It is our view the underlying serious issues that are self-evident now urgently need to be resolved as a matter of extreme urgency thereby allowing the club to concentrate on their upcoming League One play-off games and also importantly focus on their preparations for 2017.

"Any further delay in this respect could potentially have damaging long-term consequences for the club."

RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer said on September 4 that no talks had been held with JM Packaging up to that point but JMP say they have met since. The governing body have been asked to comment but have not yet replied.

James Ford's team face a League One play-off semi-final next weekend against the losers of the promotion final between Toulouse and Rochdale.