NIGEL Reo-Coker is expected to finalise terms with Wanderers over the next 24 hours.

The former England Under-21 international midfielder, who left Aston Villa in the summer, is close to being confirmed as Owen Coyle’s second summer signing.

Reo-Coker met with Coyle on the manager’s return from their pre-season tour in the US at the weekend but did not discuss personal terms until yesterday afternoon.

Reports yesterday suggested the deal had hit a snag over wages, but the 27-year-old’s agent, Tony Finnigan, remains confident a deal will be struck early this week.

“We had a brilliant meeting with the manager, it couldn’t have gone any better,” he said.

“We’ve got a bit more to sort out in a meeting today but I’ve been really pleased with how things have gone with Bolton.”

Former West Ham and MK Dons star Reo-Coker was one of 10 players released at Villa Park at the end of last season, four years after he was signed by Martin O’Neill for £8.5million.

The decision had come as something of a surprise to fans in the Midlands as, despite falling out of favour under O’Neill, Reo-Coker had been a regular under his successor Gerard Houllier and made 30 league appearances, also deputising for Stylian Petrov as captain at the end of the campaign.

Coyle is a fan of the industrious midfielder, who also filled in at right back and right wing during his time at Villa, and with talks progressing at a pace, it is likely Reo-Coker will join Burnley’s Tyrone Mears and Chris Eagles through the Reebok door within the next 48 hours.

Mears and Eagles are within touching distance of agreeing a £2.75m switch, and have agreed personal terms, meaning there could be three new names on show in Saturday’s friendly at Newport County.

Liverpool’s David N’Gog remains one of two strikers still on Owen Coyle’s hit list, although it is understood Wanderers are looking to push through the deals already on the table for Mears, Eagles and Reo-Coker before focusing on the Frenchman.