STUART Holden has been offered a one-year extension to his current contract at Wanderers.

Owen Coyle has hailed the US international as a hit since his arrival from Houston Dynamo in January, despite having made just three Premier League appearances.

Holden, pictured, broke his leg playing for his country in early March – but recovered in time to figure in the Whites’ final game of the season.

Now, his manager is looking to tie him down for an extra 12 months – keeping the midfielder at the Reebok until the end of the 2011/12 season – as a reward for his efforts once he has returned from the World Cup.

“He came to the club with the option of another year,” Coyle told The Bolton News.

“Like everyone, I have been really impressed with Stuart on and off the pitch since he came here. The players really like him, and he’s been terrific in each game he has played in for me.

“We had a meeting with his representative last week, and needless to say, I’d love him to be a part of this football club for a long time to come.”

Coyle handed Holden his debut in the FA Cup defeat to Spurs, but his only Premier League start came a few days later as he kept his place in the crucial victory over Wolves.

Injury then ruled out the 24-year-old for all but 30 minutes of the campaign, when he was given a warm welcome at the Reebok after coming on for Matt Taylor in the 2-1 victory over Birmingham on the final day.

“You saw what the fans thought of him when I brought him on against Birmingham with half an hour to go,” he said.

“I thought Stuart was excellent in those early games, and bounced back so well after getting the injury. It tells you a lot about him.”

Holden is currently on international duty with the US squad, who will face the Czech Republic in the early hours of Wednesday morning in a warm-up friendly in Connecticut.

He is likely to be named in coach Bob Bradley’s final 23-man squad, which must be announced in a week’s time.

And Coyle predicts Holden can make an impact in South Africa, where he will go head-to-head with England, Algeria and Slovenia in the group stages.

“I just hope he can crack on now and have a good World Cup with the US, because I’m really looking forward to having him back with us next season,” he said.