OWEN Coyle says he will not need to sell prized asset Gary Cahill to fund his activity in the January transfer window.

The new Wanderers boss has been promised funds to strengthen his squad before the end of the month, but that is not thought to include a loan swoop for Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere.

And Coyle claims that does not mean he will be forced to seek offers for the £15million-rated England hopeful. Both Manchester clubs had been linked with the 24-year-old, whose superb form over the last 12 months has seen him force his way into Fabio Capello’s international plans.

But Coyle maintains that Cahill is very much central to his plan to lead Wanderers out of the bottom three, and has backed the highly-rated defender to stake his claim for a place at this summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

“I don’t have to sell anyone to generate a transfer budget,” said the Whites boss.

“I believe that Gary Cahill, if he shows the qualities he has, can make the squad for the World Cup. That’s a personal motivation thing for him.

“He is a top player and hopefully we will see him at his very best.”

Coyle has publicly stated his wish to give his current squad a chance to prove their worth before dipping into the transfer market, but that hasn’t stopped the transfer rumour mill linking him with several players just days into his new job.

Arsenal youngster Wilshere, the midfielder he tried to tempt on loan to Burnley last month, has been mentioned as a possible target.

But Coyle says the Gunners’ midfield casualty list, which increased this weekend with Brazilian Denilson sustaining a mysterious rib injury in the 2-2 draw against Everton, will probably prohibit another attempt.

“He is a very good player and we obviously tried to get him, but with Arsenal’s injuries, he was put back in the side and I think there are further injuries so he might not be available,” he said.

“What I have to do first and foremost is to assess the squad I have. It would be remiss of me not to do that and give everyone a fair crack accepting the transfer window is such a short space of time.

“If we feel there are areas where we can help the team, that’s what we will have to do.”

Coyle also cooled talk of a raid on his former club Burnley, accepting that inflated prices in the January window could force him to look elsewhere.

“First and foremost I have to be fair to the squad we have got,” he said.

“The January transfer window is a relatively short length of time, and I think it can be an inflated market anyway. That said, it’s something we have to look at.

“Burnley have got some fantastic players, some of which I brought, some I encouraged to become better players, and some of the older ones are playing out of their skins.

“Any club that have players, they are in a positon under contract whereby they decide what the value is.”