CHRIS Eagles’ impending departure at Wanderers comes as no great surprise to ex-Wanderers star Simon Charlton.

It seems unlikely that the 28-year-old midfielder will earn another deal at the Reebok, allowing him to leave for nothing in the summer.

But Charlton reckons the ex-Manchester United man has not lived up to his billing this season, albeit with a continual struggle with an ankle injury.

“I think he’s flattered to deceive at lot of the time,” he told The Bolton News. “Personally, I don’t think it’s any shock Dougie Freedman hasn’t offered him an extended contract.

“He scored goals last season, fair enough, but I think the team has found a shape without him.

“I read that he turned down a couple of moves and that surprised me a bit because I don’t think it takes Sherlock Holmes to see he is on the fringes of things right now.”

Former full-back Charlton was pleased to hear that Alan Hutton had extended his loan deal until the end of the season.

The ex-Glasgow Rangers right-back has improved steadily since arriving from Aston Villa, where he had been frozen out of the team under Paul Lambert for the last 18 months.

“I saw him in his first game and he looked a bit rusty,” Charlton said. “But that is only to be expected considering how long he has waited to play.

“Villa seem to be blaming his wages and a few people might have wondered what Dougie Freedman was doing bringing him to Bolton, as it’s not as if they are exactly well off.

“It looks to me like he wants to play some football. You don’t get the moves he has in his career without being a very good player – and I think the more time he spends at Bolton, the better he’ll get.

“The full-back position has been a worry down both sides this season but fair play to Hutton, he looks to have solved the problem.”