Megson: No offers for Anelka

Bolton manager Gary Megson has again insisted the club has received no offer for striker Nicolas Anelka.

The Frenchman played the full 90 minutes in this afternoon’s Premier League defeat at Sunderland against the backdrop of speculation that Chelsea have tabled a bid for his services.

However, Megson denied any offer has been received and confirmed the club is determined to hang on to their prized asset.

He said: “It’s been going on for so long, and Nicolas is probably more used to it than most players in the country, I suppose.

“But from my own point of view, it becomes normal, actually, because all it is is speculation.

“I would tell you if a club had actually come on to me, or if the chairman told me a club had come on to him.

“I would tell you because there is no point hiding the fact. But at the moment it just seems to be things that are in the papers and in the media that you have to cope with.

“But I think most people will be in the same boat.”

Megson now finds his side level on points with the Black Cats – who dragged themselves out of the relegation zone with just their second win in 14 games - and will look to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window.

However, he admitted his activity may be largely governed by what happens with Anelka.

He said: “It would probably affect what we have to do, but nobody at Bolton Wanderers wants Nicolas Anelka to go anywhere, and I mean nobody.

“If Nic isn’t of the same opinion, then we will have to deal with that as and when.

“But we are not at that point yet.”

In the short term, Megson will reflect on a disappointing day on Wearside after Roy Keane’s men took advantage of their slow start to race into a 2-0 lead and then defended stoutly as the Trotters launched a belated fightback.

Kieran Richardson opened his Sunderland account just 13 minutes into his first start since August, and then fired in the corner which allowed Kenwyne Jones to stretch the lead with a powerful 32nd-minute header.

However, Wanderers grabbed a lifeline four minutes before the break when El-Hadji Diouf drifted a free-kick inside the far post, and despite a late assault, the home side held out.

Keane was delighted after a tense finish in which substitute Daryl Murphy eased the nerves at the death.

He said: “It’s nice, it’s nice to win. It seems like a while since we have won.

“It wasn’t too pretty, but it’s a win and the players deserved it.

“We have played a lot better this year and not got a result, but today we just about ground out a good one.”

Keane had admitted in the run up to the game that it was a must-win encounter, but said afterwards: “I say that every week.

“As manager of Sunderland, I feel every game is a must-win game, whether it be Manchester United or Bolton or if we were playing Altrincham.

“We try to approach every game (the same) – put it this way, what other way would you approach a game? Must lose? Must draw?

“You must win, that’s what you are in the game for.”

Keane declined to comment on reports linking him to Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage – although it is understood a deal is a real possibility – while former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune is also thought to have been training on Wearside.

He said: “There have been plenty of players linked with us, I would say in the last month maybe something like 20, 25.

“I don’t think we will be signing 25 players, let me tell you.

“It would be completely wrong for me to comment on a player under contract at a football club.

“If you asked (Blackburn manager) Mark Hughes if would he be interested in Kenwyne Jones and he spoke about one of my players, I would be very disappointed. It is the wrong way to do it.”