Source: Team_Talk
Knight: Cahill could ride off
Zat Knight admits Bolton will be powerless to prevent star defender Gary Cahill leaving Bolton if a bigger club comes in for him this summer.[LNB] Cahill has long been touted as a target for Arsenal and Liverpool and there are plenty of others who are also interested in the possibility of luring the 25-year-old away from the Reebok Stadium.[LNB]After playing alongside Cahill for the past two years, Knight is acutely aware what a huge loss he would be.[LNB]However, such are the vast financial disparities that exist within the Premier League that Knight is realistic about what might happen in the coming weeks.[LNB]"You don't want to lose your best players and Gary is fantastic," said Knight.[LNB]"As yet, no one has come in for him, which is a blessing.[LNB]"We want to keep him but there are a lot of bigger clubs out there and if someone comes in for the right money, no one can stop him."[LNB]Not that Knight would view Cahill's departure as insurmountable.[LNB]David Wheater's arrival from Middlesbrough has already provided additional competition for places and, as the 31-year-old points out, with 69 Premier League starts from a possible 78 over the past two seasons, he has been a fairly consistent presence in the Trotters' line-up.[LNB]"Hopefully I have done enough to get my place on August 13," he said.[LNB]"David Wheater has given us additional options anyway but we have strengthened it up all over the park.[LNB]"If someone isn't playing too well the manager (Owen Coyle) can now bring people in."[LNB]Bolton appear to be having another push at trying to secure the services of Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City, although wages could still prove a major stumbling block.[LNB]Interest in Liverpool striker David Ngog and Cameron Jerome of Birmingham has so far failed to turn into anything concrete, which means Bolton are set to tackle newly-promoted QPR at Loftus Road - if the violence in London has subsided by Saturday - with the men already at Coyle's disposal.[LNB]The Scot has certainly placed the Trotters on an upward trajectory since his arrival from Burnley a season and a half ago, although Knight still feels there is work ahead before they can be compared to the European qualifiers of Sam Allardyce's reign.[LNB]"We can't say yes on that until we get back into Europe, or finish in the top eight," said Knight.[LNB]"We are on our way there. We have made great strides forward since the manager came in, people who watch us play can see that.[LNB]"We dropped off a little bit towards the end of the season through fatigue but if we can have the same drive and determination, hopefully we can make it last.[LNB]"We want to get into Europe but we have to finish the season. We can't finish in March or April."
