Kevin McNaughton hopes he can secure a future with Wanderers beyond the new year.
With his current loan from Cardiff expiring on January 5, the Scot is looking to stay on at the Reebok at least until the end of the season if a deal can be agreed with his parent club.
McNaughton has proved a steadying influence on the Whites defence since his arrival in October and admits his chances of regular football in the Premier League under Malky Mackay are slim.
“I haven’t spoken to Cardiff to be completely honest but the gaffer (Dougie Freedman) has had a quiet word and he says he’d love to keep me for a bit longer if that is possible,” he told The Bolton News.
“When the loan finishes I’ll have some discussions with Cardiff and I’m out of contract at the end of the season so I’ll have to get something sorted out.
“I’d like to get a couple of years somewhere.
“And I would love to stay here. I feel pretty settled.”
McNaughton had figured consistently at Cardiff for the last seven seasons and remains the club’s longest-serving player on the books.
But their promotion to the Premier League forced him to the margins and prompted Freedman to bring him to Wanderers to shore up a leaky defence.
The prospect of returning to Cardiff with little chance of match action is not one the defender is relishing at all.
“I’ve said a few times now that I’ve played a lot of football in my career and there’s nothing worse than not being involved and just sitting and watching results come in,” he said.
“If I can get somewhere nailed down where I have at least got a chance of featuring, and somewhere that’s settled, because it’s not ideal moving my family up and down.
“I’ve had my young lad just start school so it’s not just thinking about myself, there’s quite a lot in there.”
Victory at Wigan on Sunday could potentially lift Wanderers into the top half of the table – the target McNaughton has set for himself by the time his loan expires.
“We’ve got to try and build up that momentum now,” he said.
“We got on that run and that’s the sort of run we need again if we’re going to get up there.
“We went eight games unbeaten and yet you look at the table and we’re still there in the bottom half. It’s such a tough league.
“I think the first step is to try and be in that top half of the table and then take it from there.”
With his current loan from Cardiff expiring on January 5, the Scot is looking to stay on at the Reebok at least until the end of the season if a deal can be agreed with his parent club.
McNaughton has proved a steadying influence on the Whites defence since his arrival in October and admits his chances of regular football in the Premier League under Malky Mackay are slim.
“I haven’t spoken to Cardiff to be completely honest but the gaffer (Dougie Freedman) has had a quiet word and he says he’d love to keep me for a bit longer if that is possible,” he told The Bolton News.
“When the loan finishes I’ll have some discussions with Cardiff and I’m out of contract at the end of the season so I’ll have to get something sorted out.
“I’d like to get a couple of years somewhere.
“And I would love to stay here. I feel pretty settled.”
McNaughton had figured consistently at Cardiff for the last seven seasons and remains the club’s longest-serving player on the books.
But their promotion to the Premier League forced him to the margins and prompted Freedman to bring him to Wanderers to shore up a leaky defence.
The prospect of returning to Cardiff with little chance of match action is not one the defender is relishing at all.
“I’ve said a few times now that I’ve played a lot of football in my career and there’s nothing worse than not being involved and just sitting and watching results come in,” he said.
“If I can get somewhere nailed down where I have at least got a chance of featuring, and somewhere that’s settled, because it’s not ideal moving my family up and down.
“I’ve had my young lad just start school so it’s not just thinking about myself, there’s quite a lot in there.”
Victory at Wigan on Sunday could potentially lift Wanderers into the top half of the table – the target McNaughton has set for himself by the time his loan expires.
“We’ve got to try and build up that momentum now,” he said.
“We got on that run and that’s the sort of run we need again if we’re going to get up there.
“We went eight games unbeaten and yet you look at the table and we’re still there in the bottom half. It’s such a tough league.
“I think the first step is to try and be in that top half of the table and then take it from there.”
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