Give us what we want or Anelka stays here

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The Blues have had an £11million offer rejected and, without serious competition for the Frenchman, are unlikely to increase it by much more than £1m.

Chelsea manager Avram Grant wants a deal done by the weekend but his counterpart insists Bolton should hold out for a better offer and insisted they are in no rush to sell.

Megson said: "If Nic goes it has to be for the right value. 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 again. Privately, they are resigned to him leaving in this month's transfer window but want £15m for his services.

They initially hoped to draw Manchester City and other clubs into a bidding war but the prospects for that are fading fast. Bolton, who have Anelka on a contract with three-and-a-half years to run, may now have to rely on Chelsea's pressing need for a striker to force them to increase their original offer.

After their 2-1 Carling Cup semi-final first leg win against Everton at Stamford Bridge last night, Grant said: "We wanted him for this game.

"I hope it will be for Saturday, but this is not in my control. It is important to do it quickly because of the players we're missing."

Chelsea face Tottenham 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.