Owen Coyle has confirmed that Bolton Wanderers are in discussions with Chelsea over a potential January transfer for Gary Cahill.

The former Premier League champions have been clear about their interest in the England international, and Coyle has hinted that they could be resigned to losing the defender.

"Regarding Gary Cahill, there has been dialogue between ourselves and Chelsea," Bolton's official Twitter feed quotes Coyle as saying. "He is a top player and is fully focussed on Bolton."

The 26-year-old has been linked with a switch from the Reebok Stadium in recent months, and reportedly came close to moving to Arsenal in the summer.