SAM Allardyce admits he is making life increasingly difficult for himself on the transfer front by raising the Reebok standards to unprecedented levels.

The Wanderers boss is desperate to reinforce his Premiership squad with at least two more new recruits before next Saturday's deadline, but says he is struggling to find players good enough to play in his first team.

"We are playing in the best league in the world, certainly the most demanding," he said, "so the quality of player I need to find to make Bolton Wanderers better, on a short-term basis, is a much more difficult task than it was.

"It's becoming more and more difficult to find that quality. The search goes on and, hopefully, somebody will come up with another from the bargain basement."

Allardyce strengthened his attacking hand when he signed Javi Moreno on loan from Atletico Madrid when the transfer window first opened and has paved the way for another dip into the market by loaning Mario Jardel to Italian Serie A strugglers, Ancona.

Mid-winter loans and short-term purchases have paid handsome dividends in the last two seasons, but the manager reckons he is struggling to make it three in a row.

"They just don't seem to be out there," he said.

Wanderers have been linked with Inter Milan's French full-back Jeremie Brechet, whose San Siro future is in doubt following the arrival of new chairman Giacinto Facchetti. Fulham are also reported to have an interest and Real Sociedad have made a bid but the player is understood to want to stay in Italy, where Bolgona and Siena are keen.

Bolton appear to have cooled in their interest for Sunderland defender Michael Gray because the Black Cats want a permanent rather than a loan deal.