Gary Megson, the Bolton Wanderers manager, has insisted that Chelsea will not land Nicolas Anelka on the cheap. Bolton rejected an initial £11 million bid for Anelka on Monday, but Chelsea are expected to raise their bid by up to £2 million.

Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, is hoping the deal will be completed by the weekend but a defiant Megson claims Bolton should hold out for a better offer and are in no rush to sell.

"If Nic goes it has to be for the right value," Megson said. "There are few Anelkas about and very few at the kind of money that they are talking about. Any deal has to suit three parties: the buying club, the selling club and the player but, from our point of view, what is unequivocal is that we all want Nic to stay.

"The situation has not moved on in terms of anything between the two clubs. Nic was in yesterday and we have spoken about it and agreed there is not a massive amount either he or I can do. It is between the two clubs and whether they can get an agreement. I am still hopeful that they cannot."

Anelka has made it clear to Bolton that he wants to join Chelsea and play in the Champions League once more, but Wanderers want at least £15million for his services which could force Grant to look elsewhere.

However, the Frenchman has three and a half years left to run on his contract and Bolton are hopeful that Chelsea's striking crisis may force them to increase their offer.

Chelsea face Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge at the weekend with the possibility of Claudio Pizarro being their only fit senior striker again because Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are on international duty at the African Nations' Cup with Ivory Coast and Andriy Shevchenko is still injured.