Bolton Wanderers are in talks about signing Calum Davenport, the central defender who joined West Ham United two years ago. Davenport cost £3 million from Tottenham Hotspur but has started only 12 league matches, in part, because of injuries.

The 26-year-old has looked ungainly alongside Matthew Upson and West Ham, who want to cut costs, have six other players who can play in that position. Davenport joined Watford on loan a year ago, but suffered a broken bone in his neck on his debut against Charlton Athletic and missed the rest of the season.

Decent bets

Bayern Munich have made Lukas Podolski available for transfer for a fee in excess of £9.8 million. The forward has not been able to replicate his international scoring record (he has a ratio of one goal every two matches for Germany), since he moved from Cologne three years ago. Bayern fielded interest from Tottenham in the summer and turned down an offer of up to £18 million from Manchester City a year ago.

Scott Parker, the West Ham United midfielder, is likely to complete a move to Manchester City by the middle of the week for a fee in the region of £8 million.

Tottenham are monitoring Scott Brown, the Celtic and Scotland midfield player, whose manager, Gordon Strachan, reacted sarcastically when Brown was linked with an offer from Portsmouth last week, adding that he expected none of his bigger players to leave.

Brown moved to Celtic for £4.4 million 18 months ago from Hibernian, having previously turned down a move to Reading because he thought that they would be relegated from the Barclays Premier League, which they were in May. Brown was booked 14 times last season, but has received only three yellow cards this campaign.

Stoke City have expressed an interest in Aruna Dindane, the Lens striker, who is over the effects of a knee injury suffered at the end of last season. The Ivory Coast international, who could cost £5 million, has 18 months left on his contract.

John Utaka could return to Rennes, the club that he left to join Portsmouth18 months ago, for about £8 million. The forward, who would cost about £5.5 million, is also wanted by Lens.

Long shots

Tottenham, who are in need of a right back because Alan Hutton is injured, may take Pascal Chimbonda, their former player, on loan from Sunderland.

Modeste M’Bami, the Marseilles midfield player, has for a second successive year been linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth and Sunderland.