Ian Evatt has played down the prospect of Declan John leaving Wanderers before the transfer deadline.

Speculation over the Wales international’s future at the UniBol began soon after the club brought in Liverpool youngster Owen Beck on loan for the rest of the season.

John had split time at left wing-back with Jack Iredale during the first month of the season but Beck’s arrival left him facing a thinner end of the wedge.

Evatt maintains that the former Rangers and Cardiff City defender is willing to fight for a regular starting spot despite the extra competition.

Asked if John was heading out, he told The Bolton News: “No, absolutely not.

“When you bring players in, obviously there are always murmurings and players might want to understand the reasoning behind it.

“I was a player as well for 21 years and I remember every transfer window, the manager used to bring in centre-backs. But you have to have the attitude, ‘I don’t care who you bring in, I am still going to be the best one’. That is what I expect of our players.”

Evatt has not completely ruled out adding new faces before the 11pm deadline, and he is confident that if he is able to bolster his squad he would get the right reaction from his players.

“This is Bolton Wanderers,” he said. “We are trying to improve, go at pace and progress through the levels again, so there is going to be a constant transition of players. But just because you bring a player in, it doesn’t mean the end for somebody else.

“For me, it should mean, ‘I am going to fight and make sure he understands that I am the best one, and I am going to earn that shirt week in, week out’.

“Every day is an opportunity to do that. If they don’t have that attitude and they don’t want to fight for it, fine. It is nothing personal, we will shake hands and move on. But I don’t sense that from any of our players. I think they understand the football club they are at.

“They understand the level and the pace that we want to improve at, and they want to be a part of it. They are all willing to fight and get their heads down and work for it.

“That delights me because when you get that and you have got the right culture and environment, good things can happen. I do feel like we have got that.”