NEIL Lennon insists Jay Spearing definitely has a future at Bolton Wanderers.

The Whites boss has welcomed the former club skipper back into the fold after sending him out on loan to Blackburn Rovers last term.

And the indications are that despite a surplus of central midfielders in his squad, Lennon is ready to give Spearing the chance to earn a regular place in his side.

Many tipped the 26-year-old former Liverpool star to be sold on this summer to raise cash for new signings but the Wanderers boss, who takes his side to Morecambe for a friendly tonight, is offering a clean slate.

“He will get a chance,” Lennon told The Bolton News. “I haven’t written Jay off at all.

“Last season he had to go out to Blackburn and play because it wasn’t doing him any good being on the sidelines, but he’s come back, his attitude has always been good, and the door is wide open for him.”

Wanderers are actively looking to shed some of their fringe players to free funds for Lennon but it appears that Partizan Belgrade have passed on the opportunity to sign Medo Kamara.

Until players are moved on, it is likely the Whites boss will need to work with the players at his disposal – but he could soon be boosted by the return of Max Clayton, who has been missing since December with a cruciate ligament injury.

Clayton damaged his knee in the goalless draw against Ipswich Town at the Macron Stadium just over a month after Lennon’s arrival as manager.

And the Northern Irishman is excited to work with the former Crewe Alexandra youngster again – billing him as a “new signing.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting Max back into the reckoning,” he said.

“People might have forgotten about him a bit because he’s been out for so long but he definitely isn’t far away now.

“I want to take my time with him because I don’t want to rush him back but we hope to have him for a full season – and that’s another quality player that I didn’t have in the second half of last season.

“He’s a good player and an athlete with good pace, there’s a goal in him and his movement is excellent so when we get him back out there he will definitely add to our attacking threat.”