TROTTERS TARGET KHARINE

The Trotters manager is keen to bring in some cover in the goalkeeping department, with only Steve Banks and on-loan veteran Tommy Wright available with first choice Jussi Jaaskelainen sidelined with a serious knee injury.

Both Banks and Wright have failed to convince in the position with a number of shaky performances and Allardyce is concerned that if his side does not start to keeping clean sheets, then their promotion hopes may be undermined.

Allardyce has failed in attempts to take Ed de Goey from Chelsea, Bradford City's Matt Clarke and Everton's Thomas Myhre to the Reebok Stadium as he tries to improve his squad for the vital last few months of the season.

Kharine, the former Chelsea number one, has found himself out-of-favour at Celtic since Martin O'Neill took over in the summer and he is effectively third choice behind Robert Douglas and Jonathan Gould.

The Russian keeper may want a move for regular first team football and Allardyce hopes to sign him for the rest of the season.