Quote: Wigg'n "Considering Gildart (seemingly) hasn’t been given marquee status, one could assume that Bateman would receive it or we have a signing in the pipeline (if Bateman goes)?'"
It may be that Gildart, or Hardaker now we have announced his signing or Bateman if he negotiates a replacement contract for next season (he is not in his final year of his current deal don't forget) will take up a marquee slot from next year. Until Sam has actually left though we can't nominate anyone else as taking up a marquee slot as we already have the permitted two marquee players.
Due to the rules on cap exemption it may not necessarily follow that the highest earner takes the slot. Of the three contenders Gildart would effectively cost £75k while the others would cost £150k as marquee. If Gildart was on £125k and one of the others on £150k-£199k then we save more cap wise by putting Gildart as marquee even though in that hypothetical situation he would be taking home less.