GILLINGHAM caretaker boss Steve Lovell admits the future of Wanderers target Kyle Dempsey is “out of his hands” as the January transfer window edges to a conclusion.

Bolton boss Ian Evatt has been open about his desire to bring the 26-year-old midfielder to the UniBol over the past few weeks.

At least two bids have now been made but Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has stalled on making a decision while he searches for a new manager.

Lovell has been placed in temporary charge, picking Dempsey as his captain in Tuesday night’s 0-0 draw against Shrewsbury.

“There has been talk for a long time about clubs being linked with our players, but I don’t know anything about that,” he told the local press after the final whistle.

"I don’t want to lose any players. I want to keep of all them but it’s out of my hands. I can only work with what I've got and whatever I have got and have, I will work with.

"We would like to add to it and I think we need to the squad. In the next two or three days it will become more of an issue, when players become available, so it is an important time to get what we want in to give us a really good shout to of getting us out of this mess.

"I don't want to lose anybody but that is not my decision. It is a decision that must be made by the club and for the right reasons and for the sake of the football club.

"All I can say, as a manager, is that I don't want to lose any good players and Kyle Dempsey is a good player. I don't want to lose anybody from the squad.

"I am not in a position to lose anybody. We are not great on numbers as it is with a few injuries that have been picked up so I wish the window was over and had 22 players I know I'm going to work with, and that will do me.

"But it is not like that so things could change between now and next Monday and most probably will. Whatever they change to, I'll have to adapt to that and work with it."

Wanderers want to sign Dempsey this month, knowing they could be priced out of the market on wages if he becomes a free transfer in the summer.

Ian Evatt says he has other options in the transfer market – but the deal could now run to the final few days of the window.