Bolton boss: I tried to sign Real Madrid's Morientes

Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce has revealed he was turned down by Fernando Morientes because the Real Madrid striker wanted to play in Europe this season.

Morientes is on-loan at AS Monaco and Allardyce confirmed: "We could have got Morientes here because he is a big mate of Ivan Campo [the Bolton midfielder], Tottenham were trying to sign him too."

"But the problem we have is that most foreign players coming here want European football as well as the Premiership. We could afford the money and [could have] signed Morientes like we signed Campo."

"We got him on the cheap because Real Madrid need to move players off their wage bill. There is no financial benefit now in going to Monaco rather than here, but they have the Champions' League. In the end he made the right choice."