THE transfer tug-of-war between Wanderers and Cardiff City over Gary Madine looks set to continue into the last 24 hours of the transfer window.

Two more bids have been made by the South Wales club, currently gunning for promotion from the Championship, but The Bolton News understands both have been rejected.

Wanderers chairman Ken Anderson has said only an “exceptional” offer would convince him to part with a key player like Madine in January.

Phil Parkinson said it would be “crazy” to sell his 10-goal top scorer and has said since the first day of the winter window the club’s aim is to emerge from January with a stronger squad.

Neil Warnock was unsuccessful with two bids earlier in the month, the highest of which is understood to have totalled £1.5million with bonuses.

The Bluebirds boss has been chasing Bournemouth’s Lewis Grabban and said he has lodged bids for as many as four different front men so far this month.

Madine signed a new deal with Wanderers in the summer, which runs to 2019. But interest from elsewhere has led the Whites to offer him an improved contract with a wage that better reflects his importance to the team. The deal remains unsigned - but sources at Bolton are hopeful it can be resolved quickly.