Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has described reports that striker Eoin Doyle is set to leave the club as "speculation".

Doyle enjoyed a prolific debut campaign with Bolton last season, scoring 19 goals in 43 league games to help the Trotters win an immediate promotion from League Two.

This season however, things have gone rather differently for Doyle, with the striker scoring just four times in 20 League One outings since the start of the campaign.

That, combined with the seemingly imminent arrival of another striker in the shape of Dion Charles from Accrington, has led to some suggestions that Doyle is set to leave Bolton in the January transfer window.

Indeed, some reports have even claimed that the 33-year-old has already agreed a three-year deal with his home town club St Patrick's Athletic in the Republic of Ireland.

Now though, it seems as though any deal is not as close as that, at least as far as Evatt is concerned.

Commenting on those claims of Doyle's potential departure from the club, Evatt told The Bolton News: “It’s just speculation for me. I think when you are linked with strikers, there will be speculation about strikers in your squad – simple as that.”

There are 18 months remaining on Doyle's contract with Bolton, securing his future at the club until the end of next season. As things stand, Bolton are currently 15th in the League One table, six points clear of the relegation zone ahead of their trip to automatic promotion hopefuls Rotherham United on New Year's Day. The Verdict These are some rather interesting comments from Evatt on the Doyle situation. It seems that despite those reports to the contrary, the Bolton boss is expecting the 33-year-old to stay at the club for the time being. That is something that could well make sense for the Trotters, given that even if they do complete a deal for Charles, they are still going to need some other options in the centre forward positions. However, you wonder what Doyle himself might make of that, since he may not be all too happy if he now finds himself playing second fiddle to someone such as Charles at the University of Bolton Stadium.