It is understood that newly-promoted Barrow AFC have rejected an offer from Bolton Wanderers for manager Ian Evatt.

The Bluebirds have set a buy-out fee of £250,000 for the services of Evatt, who has two years left on his contract, and it is believed Bolton's offer fell considerably short of that figure.

Evatt's feats with AFC during his two years in charge have drawn interest from several other clubs and the Trotters believe he can install the same winning ethos that is now at Holker Street.

After winning promotion from the National League, Barrow will actually be sharing a division with Bolton, a Premier League team as recently as 2012, for the first time ever next season.

This was after they were relegated from League One, with a 12-point deduction for entering administration last year proving too much of a deficit to make up.

Following this, the club announced manager Keith Hill would be leaving at the end of his contract after nine months at the helm.