The teenage striker only broke into the Latics side last season but he impressed many onlookers with a series of assured performances. He had already started to attract attention from Premier League clubs before a stunning performance in a pre-season game against Bolton on Wednesday night. Eaves stepped off the substitutes' bench to score a hat-trick in his side's 3-0 victory over Owen Coyle's men. Blackpool are now believed to have stepped up their pursuit by lodging a bid of £250,000, which could rise to as much as £1million with add-ons. Oldham may now face a fight to keep Eaves as a number of other top-flight clubs are thought to still be keen. Bolton could decide to make a move after witnessing what Eaves can do first hand, while Tottenham and Fulham are also monitoring the situation.
