With transfer cash at a low, Wanderers may be priced out of Warnock

With a pair of injured central midfielders and a pair of injured central defenders, it's no wonder that a 30-year-old left back isn't exactly high on Dougie Freedman's list. It becomes even less surprising when you're talking about a 30-year-old left back on a reported £40,000 per week deal, well out of favor at his current club, and a free agent in the summer.

Speaking on wages alone, that is enough to drive Bolton Wanderers away and the sale price that Aston Villa want for their third-string defender is even more ludicrous. As a result, Bolton have been pushing for a six month loan deal that would see Warnock head back to the Reebok until the summer transfer window where he would then be out of contract.

Negotiations between Villa and Bolton are still going on however as, according to the Bolton News, Paul Lambert is trying to clear some financial hurdles of his own before being able to invest in his side this month. Aston Villa either want to sell Stephen Warnock or at least have the Trotters pay a healthy portion of his wages, neither one of which Wanderers are willing to do. Think about it, if Bolton pay half his wages, that's still £20,000 per week and if you go up to 75%, that's £30,000 per week Premier League Gary Megson money.

Enter Big Sam and West Ham United.

Where there is Bolton blood in the water, it always seems that the Hammer-head sharks come swimming. Reports have said that Sam Allardyce is willing to pay Warnock's wage bill, allowing him to welcome Stephen to Upton Park with open arms. Warnock played under Big Sam from 2008-2009 at Blackburn Rovers before moving to his current home at Aston Villa.