SAM Allardyce is refusing to write off a move for World Cup winner Emanuel Petit, despite the Frenchman's claim that Wanderers are trying to sign him on the cheap.

The Reebok boss confirmed his interest in the 33-year-old former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder at the weekend after Petit said he had turned down an offer to return to the Premiership in Bolton colours.

The blond-haired midfield ace, who starred alongside Youri Djorkaeff in France's 1998 triumph, is a free agent since quitting Stamford Bridge at the end of last season, but is currently recovering from knee surgery.

Petit told L'Equipe: "I have refused to sign for Bolton. I am not going to sell myself off cheaply on the pretext I have undergone a knee operation.

"Their directors wanted to take advantage of my present situation to go back on a certain number of points in our previous agreement."

His angry response to Wanderers' offer appeared to have wrecked any chance of the matter being pursued, but Allardyce -- famed for his persistence in chasing transfer targets -- has refused to rule out a deal.

"We aren't that close," he said. "Manny isn't fit yet and still has a bit to go. We made an enquiry, he wasn't ready and that was it.

"But you never close the door completely ... not until he's either decided to retire or gets himself fixed up somewhere else."

As Allardyce continues his search for reinforcements ahead of next Tuesday's transfer deadline, midfielder Kevin Nolan believes Wanderers already have a squad strong enough to compete at the highest level.

"I think we had a smaller squad last year," he said. "We've got some great, talented individuals here.

"The first four or five games are going to be hard while we get used to the new lads. Even though there's a lot of the lads who played last year, there's still a few new faces, so it's going to take time.

"But I won't be worried if the gaffer doesn't manage to bring anybody else in."

Allardyce could be forced to make his first team change of the season at Southampton on Wednesday night after Henrik Pedersen limped off with a thigh injury, six minutes into the second half of Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Fulham.

"Henrik wasn't moving very fluently and he relies for 60-70 per cent of his game on his pace," the manager said. "It looked like it was restricting him."