WANDERERS are confident they will exit the January transfer window stronger than when they went in.

So far, the only business done in either direction has been the extension of Declan John’s loan at League Two Salford City.

The club has been linked with a handful of players, most notably Blackburn Rovers striker Niall Ennis, for whom there has been legitimate interest.

Though things have cooled slightly over the last week Ian Evatt has reassured supporters that the club remains in active discussions, hinting that the incoming player, or players, will be worth the wait.

“I would say I am even more confident and relaxed than I was at the start of the window – so you can take that as you will,” he told The Bolton News.

“I think we are in a really good place. Whatever business we do people will hopefully see the benefit and they’ll be excited by it. For now, it is hard work behind the scenes.

“There are lots of conversations. There are some exciting things happening. But, for now, there is nothing to report.

“Things sometimes develop and evolve in transfer windows, players who were potentially your number one target become available. We’ll see what happens.

“But I am really comfortable and relaxed with what we are doing.”

Dan Nlundulu’s hamstring operation has put him out of commission until the end of the season, and left Wanderers one man short up front.

Will Forrester will also be missing until well into February, which coupled with Gethin Jones’s absence on international duty with Australia leaves the Whites short on centre-half cover.

Evatt has played down the need for immediate signings and will get Carlos Mendes Gomes back from the African Cup of Nations later this week.

But, answering questions about his plans in the build up to tonight’s game against Cheltenham Town, he has also had to wait patiently for the right players to become available.

“There is a domino effect, especially with centre-forwards, we have had so many phone calls,” he said.

“Everybody wants them and even when they are not in the team, the still want them.

“We have a really good squad of players that we are happy with but we want to add to it if we can. There is a lot of good work happening behind the scenes and I have lots of confidence that when this window closes we will be stronger again.”

Wanderers got a good look at tonight’s opponents on January 13 where 29 minutes of football took place before the game was abandoned because of a medical emergency in the crowd.

Cheltenham looked a stronger prospect than when the two sides met at the start of the season but Evatt still felt confident his team could have earned a result.

“From our perspective, they were having to work pretty hard to keep us at arm’s length,” he said.

“Yes, they had a decent chance in transition, but that was the type of game they wanted to create.

“Everyone will have their own perception of what would have happened. I think they would have fatigued and the spaces will have become bigger, perhaps we would have found the solutions?

“They were very well organised, Darrell has got them running extremely hard. It is going to be a challenging game, no doubt about it.

“We have to be better than we were on Saturday and focus more on that Luton type of performance.”