Ian Evatt may see some first-teamers depart in the coming weeks – and we list them below.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bolton Wanderers will aim to secure promotion back to the Championship this season.
- The January transfer window could be crucial for the team to strengthen their squad.
- Two players, Zac Ashworth and Luke Matheson, may leave the club to seek more playing time.
The assignment for Bolton Wanderers this season is pretty clear.
After falling at the penultimate hurdle in the play-offs last term in their quest to secure promotion back to the Championship, getting back to the second tier will be one of their key aims.
They did very well for much of last term, so they will be confident of being in the promotion mix once again and have been dealt a good hand.
Reading and Wigan Athletic haven’t been near the top six this term, partly due to deductions, although the former have been very poor at times.
And with three excellent teams being promoted from League One last season, Ian Evatt will see this season as a perfect opportunity to register another promotion on his CV.
But his team will need to work extremely hard and be consistent from now until the end of the season to give them a real chance of sealing a second-tier return – and the January transfer window could be crucial for them.
They brought in some promising additions during the summer and it would be difficult to see them doing too much business mid-season, but a couple of players could potentially come in if Evatt needs them.
| Bolton Wanderers – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Nathan Baxter | Chelsea | Permanent |
| Josh Dacres-Cogley | Tranmere Rovers | Permanent |
| Joel Coleman | Ipswich Town | Permanent |
| Dan Nlundulu | Southampton | Permanent |
| Will Forrester | Port Vale | Permanent |
| Carlos Mendes | Luton Town | Permanent |
| Paris Maghoma | Brentford | Loan |
| Zac Ashworth | West Brom | Loan |
The Trotters will also need to keep an eye on those who could leave the club too.
And with the winter window on the horizon, we take a look at the players who could depart the Toughsheet Community Stadium in the next few weeks.
Zac Ashworth
Ashworth joined the club on loan from West Bromwich Albion during the summer – and have the option to make his deal permanent.
But he hasn’t been in action much during his time at Bolton and it wouldn’t be a surprise if both sides agree to a recall.
It seems clear that the Baggies don’t view him as part of their future plans, but they could sell him and that could be a much-needed injection of cash with a takeover unlikely to be fully completed before the start of the window.
The player may be keen to seal an exit too unless he has been promised more game time, so a recall could be beneficial for all parties, even if it means that the Trotters need to sign a replacement.
Luke Matheson (loan)
It’s sad to see Matheson not play much this term, because he is a player who had and still has plenty of potential.
But he’s another player who has had his game time limited and he needs to play regularly at a senior level if he wants to fulfil his potential.
Some supporters have called for the ex-Wolves man to get a chance to shine – but the player may now be focused on trying to seal a loan exit so he can get some much-needed playing time under his belt.
At 21, he isn’t that young now, so it’s time for him to kick on and play regularly.
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