DOUGIE Freedman continued to play it cool in his chase to sign Oakwell match-winner Neil Danns on a permanent deal.

Danns scored the only goal of the game against Barnsley yesterday to sign off in style before his return to Leicester City.

But while the 1,800 travelling fans chanted for the manager to sign up the midfielder – Freedman reckons the 31-year-old’s form could see him back in the Foxes’ first-team frame.

Danns has not made a league appearance at the King Power Stadium since 2012 but the Whites boss refuses to take his availability for granted next month.

“Loans go back, and that’s the problem,” he told The Bolton News.

“When I took Craig Dawson or Liam Feeney, it was the same.

“They were three-month deals. Then you pick up the phone... but I think it’s so disrespectful to other managers to say anything until they have returned.

“Millwall tried to bully us into buying Feeney so we sent him back.

“But Neil is in a situation where when he goes back to Leicester, if he feels he is not getting a game then I’m sure I’ll get a phone call.

“In the form he’s in right now he might go straight back in, so I might never get that call.

“It’s really all down to Leicester – they have got a guy who could go straight back into work tomorrow.”

Freedman indicated that a deal for Kevin McNaughton, who also returns to Cardiff City today, could be on the cards depending on whether the owner-manager battle between Vincent Tan and Malky Mackay is resolved soon.

Wanderers were indebted to Andy Lonergan for keeping Barnsley at bay during most of the first half yesterday but recovered their poise to dominate the second half and clinch a welcome three points.

“It was a very tight game in the first half – we had a bit of possession, they had a few more shots,” Freedman said. “In the second half the game opened up.

“I felt we had a lot of pressure in the second half and the goal was coming.

“You have to give Barnsley a bit of credit as well because they are bottom of the Championship but the fact there is a new manager – and this is the third straight time this has happened to us – gave them an extra 20 per cent. But that won’t happen every week to us.”