Wanderers are prepared to dig in their heels to keep hold of prized asset Mark Davies.

It is rumoured that Liverpool are preparing a £5million bid for the midfielder, who is due to return with the rest of the squad for pre-season training on Thursday at Euxton.

But the reaction within the club since news of the Reds’ interest broke has been one of defiance – and The Bolton News understands that any bid in the region of £5m would be rejected instantly.

Wanderers have confirmed they have received no official contact from Anfield, or Aston Villa who are another club said to be monitoring the former Wolves playmaker.

The club are not in a financial position where they feel they have to sell the player, and Davies is contracted to the club until 2015 after signing a huge four-and-a-half year deal in February last year.

Although the Whites seem to be holding all the aces, it is clear that if interest from a club the size of Liverpool were to be firmed up, then both Wanderers and Davies would likely have to listen.

Brendan Rogers is looking to bring in a midfielder after losing out to Tottenham on Gylfi Sigurdsson and considered bidding for the Wolverhampton-born 24-year-old whilst in charge of Swansea. But the new Reds boss – also a friend of Owen Coyle – does not appear to have been handed a huge budget by the club’s owners and may feel he can pick up a bargain from a club relegated last season.

The timing of the news has also been unfortunate for Coyle, who is hoping to keep hold of his strongest possible squad in order to make a quick return to the Premier League.

The players are due back in for fitness testing at the end of the week, and the Whites boss had certainly not reckoned on such speculation following one of his main assets into the pre-season schedule. He will want Liverpool to make their intention apparent as quickly as possible, although he is well-stocked for midfield options with new signing Keith Andrews joining Stuart Holden, Darren Pratley, Josh Vela and potentially Fabrice Muamba next season.