BOLTON boss Neil Lennon accepts he might be forced to sell Middlesbrough transfer target Mark Davies this month, but he will be extremely reluctant to allow the midfielder to leave the Macron Stadium on loan.

With Bruno Zuculini and Jack Stephens having left Teesside to re-join Manchester City and Southampton respectively, Aitor Karanka has identified Davies as a leading candidate to bolster the Boro midfield.

The 27-year-old has made more than 150 appearances since joining Bolton from Wolves in 2009, and is regarded as a versatile midfield performer whose personal abilities are not reflected in his current side’s position at the foot of the Championship.

Ideally, Karanka would like to sign Davies on loan for the remainder of the season, with a view to a permanent transfer in the summer, but if players are to leave Bolton this month, Lennon would prefer their departures to bring in an immediate fee.

Bolton are more than £170m in debt, and received a winding-up petition last month. Their players and staff were paid late, with owner Eddie Davies refusing to invest more money while advisor Trevor Birch conducts talks with potential buyers.

Selling one or two players for a cash fee this month would potentially buy Bolton some much-needed time, and Lennon accepts he could be unable to hold on to his leading assets if bids are tabled before the transfer window closes.

Davies falls into that category, with Boro not believed to be the only Championship club to have signalled an interest in the former England Under-19 international.

“I hope not (that players will have to leave), but that may be the reality,” said Lennon. “Trevor’s already stated that might be the case, but we’ll just have to wait and see. It makes a difficult job more difficult, but that’s something I can’t really touch on.”

Boro’s trip to Blackburn Rovers has been rescheduled for a second time, and will now take place on Tuesday, March 1 (7.45pm).

However, fans are advised that the date of the rearranged game could change for a third time if a certain set of FA Cup third-round results occur.

If Boro and Blackburn both lose in the third round, and MK Dons and Fulham remain in the competition, Karanka will take his side to Ewood Park on Saturday, January 30, the date of the FA Cup fourth round.

The fixture at Blackburn was originally scheduled to be played on Boxing Day but was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch at Ewood Park.

Initially, the two clubs agreed that the game would be rearranged for Tuesday February 16, but further discussions have resulted in the new date at the start of March.