AVB reveals problems with Cahill deal

GARY CAHILL’S move to Chelsea from Bolton is not a foregone conclusion after Andre Villas-Boas revealed the parties were “miles apart” in their negotiations.

Cahill appeared set to become Blues boss Villas-Boas’ first January signing yesterday after the club agreed a fee with the Trotters, believed to be in the region of £7million.

But the 26-year-old’s transfer hung in the balance last night, with one stumbling block understood to be the player’s salary, and Villas-Boas warned Chelsea would turn to other targets if an agreement could not be reached.

“We’re still miles apart regarding agreement with the player,” he said.

“We will continue to monitor this situation as we continue to monitor the other targets for this position.”

Villas-Boas would not go into details about the impasse with Cahill or whether Chelsea had made a take-it-or-leave-it offer – but he was nevertheless hopeful of a positive outcome.

“I think we can sort it out – it should be no problem,” he said.

“It’s in my chief executive’s hands at the moment. It’s an ongoing conversation.

“We’ll have to wait for the best outcome. The best outcome for us is for the player to join us.”

Villas-Boas had no doubt about Cahill’s qualities, despite Bolton’s current struggles.

He said: “I think his technical attributes are immense. His pace is fantastic as well.

“There are weaknesses. But they’re also related to the collective organisation of Bolton.

“He’s a player who has been playing magnificently well at international level, normally alongside John Terry, and he can add to this squad or any squad in the Premier League. He can make this jump.”

Bolton boss Owen Coyle earlier confirmed the club had agreed a fee with Chelsea for Cahill, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Whether or not the 26-year-old does leave the club, Coyle is adamant that when the game gets under way, the thoughts of those who are involved must be on Wolves alone.

“It is hypothetical, but if it was (his last game for Bolton), I think Gary would like to go out on a high,” Coyle said.

“The bottom line is Gary has to be ready to give as big a performance as he always does for his team-mates, for the football club and for the supporters who have been magnificent for him – and that has got to be the focus for everyone.”

If Cahill, who joined Bolton in 2008 from Aston Villa, is to leave, Coyle will view it as a blessing that the move is occurring early in the January transfer window, giving him a chance to reinvest the money in new players.

The Trotters are currently 19th and, with Cahill departing, it would seem imperative that the squad – which has been blighted by injuries – is strengthened over the coming weeks if they are to avoid relegation.