WANDERERS are looking to tie up a deal with striker Stephen Dobbie and full-back Lawrie Wilson before the start of the season.

Neil Lennon has confirmed the club is in talks with both players about a contract after successful trial spells, and he is hopeful that progress can be made by the end of this week.

Wilson played 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw at Scunthorpe on Friday night and just over an hour of the win against Oldham a few days earlier.

The former Charlton and Rotherham defender has provided some balance to a side that lacked a specialist right-back for most of last term, and Lennon is keen to get the 27-year-old sorted as quickly as possible, with at least one other Championship club sniffing round him.

Dobbie has been with Wanderers since the start of pre-season, and scored against Morecambe in the club’s first UK-based friendly.

Talks began last week with the 32-year-old Scot but the going has been slow as cash flow issues continue to bite into Lennon’s recruitment efforts.

“I’m hopeful I can get one or two done but it’s taking time,” he told The Bolton News. “I’ll speak with Phil (Gartside) again over the weekend and see if we can progress anything.

“Dobbie has done well and so has Larwie Wilson, so it’s definitely given us some food for thought.

“We’re speaking with them both about a contract but there’s nothing confirmed yet.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do in other areas too – I still need to find a number two goalkeeper and there are certain positions that I think we could enhance, so we’re working our way towards that.”

Rob Hall’s move to MK Dons appears to have been put on temporary hold, with Lennon looking to add more bodies to his squad before he allows the winger out on loan.

The former West Ham man impressed at Glanford Park but Lennon suggested he could still be playing his football elsewhere this season, provided he manages to make some signings.

“I thought Rob Hall was excellent (at Scunthorpe) and that’s given us a bit to think about,” he said. “There is obviously interest in him but we’re not in a position to do anything because the squad is small enough as it is at the moment.

“That might change over the next week or so.