Coyle: Lee signing shows resolve

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has spoken of his delight at tying down winger Lee Chung-yong to a long-term deal.

The South Korean has been a huge hit since arriving at the Reebok from FC Seoul in a 2.2 million pound deal in July 2008, and has penned fresh terms to keep him at the English Premier League club until 2013.

Lee, 22, has scored seven goals in 54 appearances, including one in last Saturday’s 5-1 romp against Newcastle.

And the deal comes as a fillip to Bolton at a time when speculation has arisen that the club may have to sell their best players in the wake of their total debt reaching 93 million pounds.

Manager Owen Coyle said: “We’re delighted because he’s such a talented young player who is continuing to get better, bearing in mind we have to be careful with him because he’s played for about two years running now without a real break.”

“It’s another good bit of business for the football club, showing that we are trying to build a team in the light of all the bits and pieces people have wanted to say in the past few weeks.”

“That comes on the back of tying up deals for Fabrice Muamba, Stuart Holden and Danny Ward. It shows that we’ve got a plan in place to take the club on, and to allay any fears people had that we have to sell our best players, because we don’t.”

Coyle’s fifth-placed side entertain newly promoted Blackpool on Saturday, hoping to continue their four-game unbeaten run.

The Bolton boss, who has no new injury worries, is full of praise for what counterpart Ian Holloway has achieved with the Tangerines.

Coyle said: “He’s someone I’ve always got on with, from when he was at Leicester and I was at Burnley in the Championship.”

“Clarke Carlisle had spoken very highly of him, and I struck up a rapport right away.”

“I know there is a persona there and that people love his interviews, and rightly so, but he is very much a football-thinking man.”

“It’s evident from talking to him, his passion and knowledge about the game, and the job he’s done is fantastic, not by accident.”

“Olly is very much his own man. He had a setback at Leicester and by his own admission he went away and looked at different aspects of the game, where he could improve, and that speaks volumes for the man.”

Defender Andy O’Brien has extended his loan stay at Leeds for a further month, with the Championship club keen to sign the 31-year-old permanently in January.