MARK Fish was expected to complete a £700,000 transfer to Charlton Athletic today.
Wanderers have accepted a bid from the Premiership club for the South African international, who is in London with his agent completing the formalities of his move to The Valley.
Though the deal had still to be rubber stamped this morning, it appeared just a matter of time before the 26-year-old centre back would fulfil his ambition to play in the Premiership again. He had previously agreed personal terms with the Addicks four months ago when a £1.5 million transfer dramatically fell through.
Meanwhile, reports in the East Midlands suggesting Wanderers had secured the services of Coventry City's Scotland international, Colin Hendry, on loan for the rest of the season have been refuted by both clubs.
The former Blackburn and Manchester City centre-back, who will be 35 next month, has been on Sam Allardyce's wanted list since Fish gave a clear indication of his wish to leave the Reebok when he rejected the offer of a new contract. But he has yet to speak to Coventry boss, Gordon Strachan, and doesn't even know if Hendry, currently out of first team action at Highfield Road, would be prepared to come to Bolton.
The Wanderers' boss, returning from a fruitless overnight scouting mission in Denmark, described any possible move for the veteran Scot as "in its infancy" while Strachan insisted: "It can't be done. There's still a place for Colin to get back into the team here."
Fish, who joined Wanderers in a £2.5 million transfer from Lazio in August 1997, finally looks to be on his way though at less than half the fee Wanderers' negotiated with Charlton in July - a deal which collapsed at the 11th hour.
The terms of payment were initially said to be the cause of the breakdown but it was later suggested the Londoners were unhappy with his medical.
Addicks boss, Alan Curbishley retained his interest though and is understood to have made a fresh approach at the weekend after Fish, substituted early in the second half of Wanderers' 1-1 draw at Birmingham, had his performance criticised and his commitment to the club questioned by Allardyce.
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