PHIL Parkinson hopes to keep hold of ever-improving winger Sammy Ameobi to the end of the season.

Wanderers have discussed extending the 24-year-old’s loan deal from Newcastle United beyond January and are waiting on the thumbs-up from St James’ Park.

Ameobi struck a spectacular fourth for the Whites in their 4-0 hammering of Gillingham on Monday night and is believed to be keen on remaining at the Macron.

Parkinson believes the former England Under-21 star has enhanced his all-round game since arriving on deadline day in the summer window and believes he can be a key player in the upcoming promotion push.

“Sammy has been immense for us and he’s developing as a player,” he said. “The team is evolving and so is he.

“We are pleased with him, he’s enjoying it here, obviously, we’d like to keep him.”

Ameobi arrived at Bolton in August looking to put himself in the shop window.

His contract at Newcastle is up next summer and a return to his boyhood club now looks highly unlikely but his recent form for Wanderers could make him a wanted man in the winter window.

Parkinson has been delighted with the way Ameobi’s game has developed in the North West, given ample first team football.

He has now scored two goals in his last two games, developed a good rapport with the Wanderers fans and claimed the regular starts which were missing earlier in his career at Middlesbrough and Cardiff.

“He needed to play in a run of games because that is how you learn things,” he said.

“You start to understand things within games – like handling a bad start, or after you’ve scored a goal and you feel great but making sure you keep your focus.

“There are little parts of your game that you only improve with experience and he’s doing that now. He’s had a few blips along the way where he hasn’t played so well but he’s getting better. He’s a likeable lad and we’re enjoying working with him.”

Meanwhile, Conor Wilkinson will be unable to play for Chesterfield in Saturday’s game at the Proact Stadium.

The striker, who returned from a knee injury to take his place on the bench during last weekend’s 5-2 defeat at Peterborough, is currently on loan from Wanderers.