THE door may not be shut on Wanderers’ chances of signing Brazilian play-maker Andre Moritz.

After talks to bring him to the Reebok collapsed last week, the ex-Crystal Palace man returned home to consider offers in Brazil and China.

Moritz was seen as a key player in the jigsaw by Freedman and the club’s failure to reach a deal has potentially left him without a “number 10” heading into the new campaign.

Tellingly, that shirt number remains unclaimed after new arrival Jermaine Beckford was handed the number 17 shirt before Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Carlisle United.

But when asked by The Bolton News if there was a chance to resurrect the Moritz deal, Freedman refused to rule out the possibility.

“We brought Andre in for talks and unfortunately it isn’t something we could do right now in terms of wages,” he said.

“He has gone home but he’s a player I really like, he is a free transfer and not under contract with anyone else so I would hope somewhere down the line we could speak again.”

While the return to full fitness of David Ngog potentially offers a different kind of striker to Freedman heading into tomorrow’s final friendly at home to Real Betis and beyond, the manager makes no secret of the fact he is on the lookout for more options.

“I’m trying to get this team playing the way I want to do it,” he said. “David Ngog picks that role up very well although he wears the nine but I still feel it’s a position we can look at.

“We need someone who can play football through the middle of the park. When we went on a 15-game run towards the back end of last season we had a number of people in there – David being one, Darren Pratley being another - so it’s a position I really like. Hopefully that number 10 jersey is getting saved for somebody.”

Chris Eagles has also been earmarked for the role in the past but his value in wide positions and the lack of competition on the wings make it unlikely he will be played through the middle from the start of next season.

“Chris is fundamental but then I think he’s better when he’s facing up opponents and his delivery is superb,” Freedman added. “It’s tempting to chuck him in there but at present I can’t take bits of his game away from elsewhere on the park.”