PAUL Warhurst today appealed to Wanderers to keep him at the Reebok Stadium. The classy Crystal Palace central defender was due to play the last game of his month's loan at Port Vale today.

But he is desperate to continue his career back in his native North West with Wanderers.

He said: "I want to come back to this area and hopefully it will be with Bolton Wanderers.

"I have enjoyed myself during the last month and I would like to stay.

"The two clubs have been speaking and I hope we can sort out what needs to be done in the next few days.

"Obviously the results help to make things more enjoyable and we have done well while I have been here and also the fans have been brilliant with me."

Wanderers boss Colin Todd is equally determined to keep the pacey and powerful Warhurst long term and end his search for an experienced and dominant centre half.

There are understood to be no problems surrounding the fee which was the stumbling block to making Jon Newsome's loan stay permanent and a deal could well be clinched in time for him to play in the FA Cup against Wolves at the weekend.

Todd said: "Paul has done remarkably well and I am very hopeful the deal will happen." COLIN Todd has urged Arnar Gunnlaugsson to forget the future and concentrate on the present. The Icelandic striker's form has dipped alarmingly in the past month after a glorious purple patch.

Todd finally ran out of patience and relegated him to the bench for Saturday's goalless home draw with Bradford City.

The manager said: "He has got to start concentrating on his football. There has been speculation but the fact is he is a Bolton Wanderers player and he has to get back to the heights he hit earlier in the season."

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