By Mark Heys
October 31 2005

Birmingham City right-back Mario Melchiot is being linked with a January move to Bolton Wanderers according to a report which appeared in the Daily Mirror. The former Ajax and Chelsea defender has lost his place at St Andrews through injury in recent games and is said to be looking for a fresh start away from the Midlands club as soon as the transfer window re-opens.

Melchiot first came to England in the summer of 1999 from his native Holland and within a year of his arrival he had won the FA Cup and Charity Shield with Chelsea.

In 2004 he completed a Bosman move to Birmingham and missed just four games for the Blues in the Premiership last term.

Struggling Birmingham suffered more misery at the weekend as fellow scrappers Everton claimed the three points with a singular Simon Davies goal at St Andrews.

The rumour mill is also claiming that Bolton hold an interest in Sheffield United's highly rated defender Phil Jagielka. The high-flying Blades are likely to resist any bids for their current Player of the Year having snubbed interest from Aston Villa and West Ham United in the past.