Last Updated: Thu, 13 May 2010 09:27
Bolton could make a £2million swoop for Ipswich defender Gareth McAuley if they fail to hold on to Gary Cahill this summer.
Wanderers chief Owen Coyle is well aware that Cahill is attracting the interest of teams such as Arsenal, following an impressive campaign in which he narrowly missed out on a place in Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.
While Coyle insists that he does not need to cash in on the player to generate his transfer kitty, it seems that he is preparing for the worst case scenario.
Cahill recently said he was happy at the Reebok Stadium, but admitted he could leave the club, which has left Coyle in the hunt for a replacement.
And 30-year-old Northern Ireland international McAuley is thought to be the top of his list following his excellent season in the Championship with Ipswich which earned him the supporters' player-of-the-year award.
It is reported that Coyle could send scouts to watch McAuley in action for the Irish in friendly games against Turkey and Chile this summer to check his abilities when facing quality opposition.
If Coyle steps up his interest in McAuley he could face a fight with Glasgow Rangers for his signature, while Ipswich boss Roy Keane is also said to be confident of persuading the player to stay at Portman Road.