HUNTING for bargains in the January sales is tougher than ever, says Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson.

Although he has been able to add Everton’s Harry Charsley on loan this month and still has designs on bringing back Josh Cullen and Reece Burke from West Ham, adding the touch of quality needed for a successful survival scrap has not been an easy task thus far.

Parkinson has been gifted a free run to deadline day after tomorrow’s home clash with Ipswich Town, as the trip to Cardiff City has now been shifted because of the Bluebirds’ continued involvement in the FA Cup.

And while that will give him plenty of time to shop, Parkinson says the wealth shared around his contemporaries in the Championship means supply is not meeting demand.

“January is traditionally a hard month to sign players,” he told The Bolton News.

“But five or six years ago clubs would be ringing you at this time of year and saying they have got X, Y, Z players who are surplus to requirement but you just don’t get that any more.

“There are teams in the Championship that have got so much money they don’t need to shift anyone on. Everyone is keeping what they have got and it’s very hard to prise anyone away from other clubs because managers don’t seem to be under the pressure to reduce the wage bill.

“With the amount of foreign ownership in the Championship means there is a lot more money around and I think that is a massive factor.”

Ken Anderson confirmed this week that Wanderers would not be entertaining anything other than “exceptional” offers for their top players this month, including Cardiff target Gary Madine.

And that was music to Parkinson’s ears, as the Whites boss is keen to ensure he ends this month with a stronger squad than he started with.

“He wants to keep everyone and I think it’s the right call. The financial implications would far outweigh what you could bring in by selling one player.

“I don’t think we’re in desperate need financially to sell anyone, so why should we?”

Parkinson is seeking improvement in the wide areas against Brentford today after feeling a hard-fought performance at Griffin Park was sullied by some sloppy delivery from the flanks.

“I think we have all the tools, it isn’t a major concern for me,” he said. “We have shown we can do it but that’s where I want to see us improve.”