OWEN Coyle believes bargain buy Stuart Holden deserves every penny of his new deal at Wanderers.

The Whites boss was delighted to announce yesterday that the US international had put pen to paper on a contract extension, that will keep him at the Reebok until 2013.

Holden was snapped up for nothing from MLS outfit Houston Dynamo in January, and after overcoming a broken leg, went on to play at the World Cup before cementing a midfield berth with the club this season.

And Coyle has been delighted by the progress made by his first signing as Bolton boss.

“It’s not very often at the level we’re at in the Premier League that you can get someone of Stuart’s quality for nothing,” he said.

“It’s a terrific bit of business from the football club to invest in the young players we’ve got at the club.

“I said when we signed him that it was an opportunity for him, because he’d never played at this level in the Premier League.

“He was hungry to do that, and on the back of it, I thought it was important as a manager to show the belief we had in him by giving him parity and bring him into line with one or two of the first team players.”

Holden initially arrived at the Reebok on a one-year deal, with Coyle announcing in The Bolton News back in May that he would be taking up the option of an extra year.

“I’d said before the World Cup, when he got injured in that tackle with Nigel De Jong in the international friendly, that I would look to do something,” the manager said yesterday. “He had only played a few games for us, but you could tell that he had something in his locker.

“I spoke with Stuart and his representative before the World Cup but with him being away and me being away, we haven’t been able to get anything sorted until just now.

“We spoke to Stuart Marshall, who looks after him, and it was all done very quickly.”

Holden has proved a hit with Wanderers fans with his whole-hearted approach, and currently leads the Premier League’s tackle charts alongside Blackburn’s Michael Salgado.

“Looking at him you could be fooled into thinking he’s going to be knocked over,” said Coyle. “But physically he’s very strong with a great physique, and on top of that, he’s got the heart of a lion. He’s prepared to do everything he can for his team-mates, which I love.”

On signing his new deal, Holden claimed he was enjoying life in the North West.

“I’m really excited because I love being at the club,” he said.

“I couldn’t ask to be around better management staff and players.

“Everybody was so welcoming when I first came to the club, which made the transition a lot easier than it could have been.

“I feel I have fitted in well and because I am comfortable with my surroundings and where I live, then I think that has shown in my football.”