Transfer Gossip: Popov deal OFF

The BEN has today reported that the mooted deal to sign West Bromwich Albion's Macedonian left-back Goran Popov has been dramatically called off.

It is understood that Bolton Wanderers' appeal against the Premier League's decision to block the loan deal was rejected at a league meeting yesterday.

Bolton manager Dougie Freedman has decided against taking the decision to a hearing and instead is looking at other targets in an effort to bring a new left-back in before this weekend's game at Millwall.

The Macedonian defender is currently on loan for the season at WBA from Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv and would have been allowed out had the deal occurred in the transfer window with the permission of both clubs.

Wanderers search for a new left-back goes on, with the broken ankle suffered by summer signing Marc Tierney proving troublesome with centre-half Tim Ream being forced to play out of position for the majority of the season.