COLIN Todd cannot boast the £50 million Alex Ferguson has in his kitty but he has enough to send the club's transfer record soaring to dizzy new heights.

The only trouble is that, like Fergie, Todd is finding that having millions in the bank doesn't put signatures on registration forms.

Manchester United aren't the only ones who've had their knock-backs. Wanderers have tried to sign a string of players this close season but they're still desperately trying to get two, possibly three new recruits to join Neil Cox on their Premiership bandwagon.

But while Fergie has suffered his embarrassing snubs in the full glare of world publicity, Todd has successfully kept the majority of his under wraps - until the beans were spilled on the Peter Beardsley affair in late editions of Tuesday night's Bolton Evening News.

Neither side was happy that the word got out but it is now patently clear that Wanderers have offered the former England star a chance to end his career as a leading light at the Reebok Stadium rather than in the Reserves at St James' Park.

Whether Beardsley decides to leave Newcastle and whether he chooses Wanderers remains to be seen.

If the answer is 'No' it won't be the first rejection Todd has had this summer.

He got off to a flyer when he completed the £1.5 million deal with Middlesbrough for Cox. But right-back was just one position he was hoping to strengthen and he still has vacancies for a left-back, centre-back and - his No 1 priority - a striker.

"That's the one that's causing me the biggest headache," the Wanderers boss freely admits. "You just can't get them. I've tried with some big money offers but clubs haven't been prepared to let their players go."

Wanderers are prepared to spend big money - more than double their current transfer record of £1.5 million - and will pay wages to match. They are determined to compete with some of the Premiership's high-rollers but they refuse to go to ridiculous lengths.

And the manager, who is proud of his record on the transfer market, will not be panicked.

"I won't sign somone just for the sake of it," he explains. "And just because a player is available on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling doesn't mean anything to me."

That is a reference to Miklos Molnar, the Denmark international who fancies a move to Bolton but failed to impress the Wanderers boss when he played for Lyngby against FC Copenhagen last week.

Beardsley and Molnar are just two of the many players Wanderers have been linked with so far this close season.

But Todd is consistent in the way he deals with speculation. He rarely confirms an interest in a player, however close the media scrutiny, and consequently avoids having to make embarrassing explanations when proposed deals break down. He says that saves taking supporters on an emotional roller-coaster ride.

We believe, but don't know for sure, that he has enquired about John Beresford and Robbie Elliott at Newcastle, Darren Eadie at Norwich, Denis Irwin at Manchester United and Lucas Radebe at Leeds while tabloid speculators have linked him with Brian Deane and David Weatherall at Leeds.

What we do know is that he is waiting for an answer from Beardsley, he's crossed Molnar off his list and, interestingly, we know he is hoping to make a major signing next week. Supporters face a frustrating wait but it could be worse.

Todd has had his transfer trials and tribulations but, doing it his way, he has so far avoided the highly-publicised snubs from the likes of Marcel Desailly, Brian Laudrup, Juninho, Stephane Henchoz and Marcus Babbel that have caused Fergie such summer heartache.

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