Bolton remain in hunt for striker

The Bolton manager, Owen Coyle, remains confident he will get the strikers he feels the side need to be a Premier League force before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Johan Elmander was released at the end of last season and even outside hopes of getting Daniel Sturridge back on loan from Chelsea have disintegrated following the England Under-21 star's outstanding pre-season form.

It leaves Bolton light on attacking options with which to supplement Kevin Davies and Ivan Klasnic, who started in Friday night's friendly defeat to Levante at the Reebok Stadium. Yet Coyle is refusing to accept defeat in his quest for more firepower.

"I am always confident," he said. "I will do my utmost to furnish the club with those signings that will help the team."

It has been suggested Liverpool's David N'gog and Cameron Jerome of Birmingham are the two names who interest Coyle the most. However, there are issues with both players that may prevent a speedy conclusion to either transfer, offering more time to rivals with greater spending power to make their move.

"It is always more difficult if you don't have the finance," said Coyle. "I don't get too caught up in what everybody else has got. Good luck to them. I have to make the best of the hand that I am dealt.

"Football has got more difficult. Gone are the days when everyone had the same amount of money and it was a level playing field. But you can still have success in cup competitions and improve your league position. That is what you have to do."

Coyle has made additions. He went back to his former club Burnley to sign Chris Eagles and Tyrone Mears, who broke his leg at Newport last weekend and has joined Chung Yong-lee on the long-term injury list.

He also moved quickly to snap up Darren Pratley, whose contract with Premier League new-boys Swansea expired immediately after their play-off win over Reading.

Source: The Guardian

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