Wanderers To Fight Hard To Keep Ben-Haim

By Mark Heys
January 2 2007

Bolton are ready to offer defender Tal Ben-Haim a lucrative new contract in an attempt to keep him at the Reebok Stadium beyond this season.

The 24-year old is free to talk to other clubs from this month onwards and the press has already linked the likes of Chelsea and Portsmouth to the centre half who cost Bolton peanuts when moving from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004.

Ben-Haim has proved to be an important figure in the Wanderers defence over the last few seasons and his calmness and composure has made other clubs sit up and take notice.

He initially came to the club as a right back but then settled in the centre of defence alongside Bruno N'Gotty. This season he has played in every defensive position including the unfamiliar role of left back due to injuries to Ricardo Gardner, Quinton Fortune and Henrik Pedersen.

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside insists that the club will fight tooth and nail to keep the Israeli at the club beyond the summer stating that there is an "offer he can't refuse" waiting on the contract table.

"We've been talking to Tal for quite a while, We'll make him an offer he cannot refuse." said Gartside to the Trotters official website