Bolton are reportedly preparing a £7million bid for Celtic midfielder Scott Brown in the January transfer window. The Mirror is reporting that the 24-year-old will be one of Gary Megson’s main signing targets when the mid-season bartering period kicks off in six weeks time.

Brown, a record Scottish signing of £4.4million signing for Celtic in the summer of 2007, has been struggling with an ankle injury for much of the season and has been ruled out of this weekend’s match at Dundee United.

But according to the reports, the influential Scotland playmaker is still seen as a replacement for crocked Bolton middleman Sean Davis, who is set to miss the rest of the season through knee injury.

Megson said: “We hope to make some good signings in January to push the club forward and help it progress.

“It’s going to be a really important window for us because we need to keep the momentum going.

"Since I arrived at the club there has been a huge of amount of players leaving and we're still trying to replace them.

"There was a huge amount that needed changing but we didn't have the finance to do it quickly.”

Bolton are currently 16th in the Premier League, just four points clear of bottom side Portsmouth. They have won just one match in 11 so far this season. Brown rejected a move to Reading from Hibs on the basis that they were in a relegation battle.

Brown has also been monitored by Tottenham Hotspurs manager Harry Redknapp over the course of the season.