• Premier League

Bolton to open talks with Elmander

ESPN staff
November 22, 2010
Johan Elmander has hit form in some style this season © PA Photos
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Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside is to open contract talks with Johan Elmander and has insisted there is no pressure to cash in on the striker.

The Swede is in the final year of his contract, but is finally demonstrating the form that enticed the Trotters into splashing out £8.2m to bring him to the club from Toulouse in 2008.

With Bolton sitting on mounting debt, the temptation could be to sell the forward but Gartside has insisted there is no pressure to offload any of their star names.

"He (Elmander) is out of contract in the summer and we've got to try and re-sign him," Gartside told the Bolton News. "I've got a meeting with his agent on Wednesday just to do that.

"I was asked a question about the January window and I said 'It's always a good time to sell players because if a Champions League team comes in they always pay top bill'. I didn't say we were selling. We're not in a position where we have to sell. If someone comes in with a great offer, we will consider it.

"We're in no different position to anyone else. We run a business and if someone comes in with an offer that is attractive to us, then we'll trade. We're not a selling club, we are a trading club.

"We're no different than a Chelsea or a Manchester City - we've got a wealthy owner who loves his football."

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