DERIK Osede wants to stay with Wanderers next season and repay the patience shown by fans as he adapted to the English game.

The Spanish defender had a tough first season after swapping Real Madrid’s feeder club Castilla for the Macron Stadium last summer but has now vowed to stay and fight after the club’s relegation to League One.

By his own admission, Derik struggled at first to come to terms with the pace and power of the English game.

Before February he had only seven starts to his name but after showing his versatility moving from centre-half, to right-back and holding midfield, the 23-year-old is confident he is now ready to be a regular starter.

“From the beginning I have felt good at Bolton,” he told The Bolton News. “At first it was not easy playing football in England but I liked the club and the fans supported me. Now I am stronger.

“I have two years more here at Bolton and I want to be part of a good team. I want to stay here and fight for the people who helped me.

“Right now I am thinking about a holiday but after that I will come back with plenty of energy and be a better player.

“This season has been difficult but I have to look forward now and try to do better. We have to do better."

Meanwhile, Wanderers’ valuation of young defender Rob Holding may have taken a hit after he was not called up by Gareth Southgate for the England Under-21 squad bound for the Toulon Tournament later this month.

Arsenal have had one bid rejected for the 20-year-old who was checked out first hand by the Young Lions boss a fortnight ago.

But his name was not included in a 23-man party announced by the FA yesterday which will leave for France on Monday.

Holding told The Bolton News last week he would not be too down about missing out on an England chance – but believed other young stars in the squad could eventually break through.

“I have got plenty of time, there’s no rush,” he said.

“What is important for me now is to be playing football and I am doing that here at Bolton. If England happens, that’s great.

“There is talent here and they have got to come and look at it. Don’t just stay around the big clubs – the so-called smaller clubs have got plenty of good players who are playing regularly and I’d bet that’s the case around the country.

“We are getting a chance at Bolton, playing regularly, so that has to be a good thing.”