Chelsea's hopes of securing Nicolas Anelka during the transfer window have been buoyed, with Bolton Wanderers expected to omit the striker from their side to face Sheffield United today in the FA Cup third round.

Bolton have been adamant Anelka would remain at the Reebok Stadium until the end of the season at least, though that stance appears to be softening. Sources close to the French international revealed last night that the 28-year-old does not expect to feature this afternoon, ensuring he is not Cup-tied for the rest of the competition. The player is still "just waiting" for a move to materialise.

Chelsea have yet to reach any agreement with Bolton over a possible transfer. The hierarchy at the Reebok Stadium may seek up to €20 million for a player they paid €11 million for in the summer of 2006 but who signed a new contract in August that would keep him at Wanderers until 2011.

Bolton manager, Gary Megson, has admitted he will rest key players against their Championship opponents today, though he insisted that merely reflects Bolton's current league predicament.

"The FA Cup is a competition we want to do well in," he said. "But, for us, it's a similar situation to the Uefa Cup. The priority for us has got to be the Premiership. So the team that goes out there [ against Sheffield United] will be selected on the basis of what has just gone on and what we've got coming up."

Somebody had mischievously scribbled Anelka's name into the visitors' book at Chelsea's Cobham training centre yesterday, though the manager, Avram Grant, has been frustrated by his inability to recruit since the opening of the window. The Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic is expected to join from Lokomotiv Moscow and progress is anticipated on several other fronts in the next week, though prices tend to rise when Chelsea figure as potential suitors.

"I don't think we can do anything about that," said Grant. "Every player Chelsea are interested in, the price will be higher than it would be for other clubs. But we'll try to find a quality player and find the right price.

"We are following many players but not just thinking about the next two months or four months. We're thinking about the next few seasons and maybe beyond."

Grant is weighing up whether or not to play Didier Drogba against Queens Park Rangers this afternoon before the Ivory Coast striker's proposed departure for the African Cup of Nations. Drogba has recovered from knee surgery and has been training but Andriy Shevchenko's calf injury rules him out and other players are likely to be rested with the impending schedule in mind.