Bolton Wanderers in Talks with Celtic over Balde

Bolton Wanderers are hot on the trail of Celtic's Guinean defender Dianbobo Balde. Balde is said to be very keen on the proposed transfer.

Bolton are eager to acquire Balde before he leaves for African Nation's Cup duty with Guinea, which begins in 10 days.

Balde would be a welcome addition to Bolton's defense, as they have struggled mightily to keep clean sheets all year and find themselves dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Summer signing Gerald Cid has failed to impress, and Abdoulaye Meite has been inconsistent all season long. The lone bright spot on Bolton's defense has been the play of veteran Andrew O'Brien, who has won over the Bolton fans.

Other central defenders Lubomir Michalik and Jaroslaw Fojut still need time to develop before they can handle the rigorous tempo of the English game.

Balde, 32, has played for Celtic for six seasons, but has not featured as a regular under manager Gordon Strachan.

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