HE MAY have been passed over for high-profile jobs with England and Newcastle United, but Sam Allardyce, the Bolton Wanderers manager, remains in demand. The 51-year-old is believed to figure prominently on the shortlist drawn up for the manager’s position at Sunderland.

After favouring Martin O’Neill for several months, certain bookmakers have closed the betting on Mick McCarthy’s long-term replacement and while that appears premature, Allardyce knows Sunderland well — he had two brief spells there, as centre half and captain in 1980 and as part of the backroom staff in the early 1990s — which makes him a natural candidate.

“I cannot prevent speculation and I understand that this is the nature of things,” Niall Quinn, Sunderland’s chairman-elect, said last night. “What I can say is that finding a new manager is a work in progress, but we have come to no specific conclusions. The reality is that there are three or four names in the frame.”

When Quinn described his ideal appointment last week, his words were taken as an endorsement of O’Neill, yet they apply equally to Allardyce. “The key word is passion,” he said. “Someone who will reignite the fans’ belief.”

Allardyce has achieved wonders at Bolton on a limited budget, but whether his desire for a fresh challenge would encompass dropping a division to the Coca-Cola Championship is questionable. There are other complications. Allardyce has four years of his lucrative contract to serve and Phil Gartside, the Bolton chairman, is reluctant to lose his most important employee.

Allardyce has, however, suffered a frustrating summer in the transfer market, seeing Andrew Johnson join Everton from Crystal Palace and being snubbed by Dietmar Hamann, who, after agreeing a contract with Bolton, is expected to join Manchester City today on a free transfer from Liverpool.

Middlesbrough are considering renewing their interest in Joey Barton, the City midfield player. Middlesbrough’s first choice is Steed Malbranque, of Fulham, but Newcastle also hope to sign the French midfield player.

Gareth Southgate, the new Middlesbrough manager, may also be disappointed after Robert Huth’s planned move from Chelsea was understood to have hit a snag last night.

Mark Hughes confirmed that Blackburn Rovers hope to sign Mido, who has returned to AS Roma after a loan to Tottenham Hotspur. “We have expressed an interest,” Hughes, who has lost Craig Bellamy and Paul Dickov, said. Brett Emerton and Lucas Neill have been offered new contracts.

Chris Kirkland, the goalkeeper, has moved from Liverpool to Wigan Athletic on a six-month loan. Another departee from Anfield is Djibril Cissé, who joins Marseilles on a season’s loan, while Liverpool continue to haggle over a fee with Seville for Daniel Alves.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink signed a one-year deal with Charlton Athletic yesterday after Middlesbrough’s decision not to offer him a new contract. “He’s a great link man and strong as an ox,” Iain Dowie, the head coach, said. Charlton may sign up to five more players this summer.