BATTLE HOTS UP TO LAND McNAUGHTON

BOLTON are set to fight North West Championship rivals Blackpool to resign defender Kevin McNaughton.

McNaughton is out of contract at the end of the season and it appears he won’t be offered a new deal by Cardiff City.

Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is mulling over whether to allow him out on loan when the emergency loan window opens.

He has already had a spell at the Reebok this season and impressed Dougie Freedman who wants him back.

The 31-year-old former Scotland international moved to Cardiff from Aberdeen in 2006.

But Solskjaer wants to bring his own men into the club and that makes McNaughton surplus to requirements.

Blackpool caretaker boss Barry Ferguson has already made an enquiry.

A deal may depend on Solskjaer’s side picking up a couple of wins to start climbing the Premier League table.

He may want McNaughton to remain at least until the loan deadline in case his side pick up injuries.

McNaughton is believed to be keen on returning to Bolton but has links to Ferguson through an agent they share. NOTTINGHAM FOREST want to make one last attempt to sign West Bromich Albion midfielder Graham Dorrans on loan for the rest of the season.

The Scottish international has been a target for Forest boss Billy Davies since last summer.

Dorrans, 26, has played for the Baggies since 2008, but has been out of the first team picture at the Hawthorns for most of the season and made only four Premier League appearances.

He saw a move to Middlesborough on deadline day fall through.

Forest are in the mix for a play-off place but automatic promotion is still a goal and Davies believes Dorrans would help his cause.

Forest made an enquiry at the start of January but WBA weren’t in a position to do a deal until they appointed a new manager.