WANDERERS have secured the services of one of their prize assets – but have lost their most experienced player.

The Bolton News understands the Whites have paid in full the overdue wages to rising star Dennis Politic, meaning the club is now able to command a fee for the winger, should rumoured interest from other clubs turn into a firm offer for the 19-year-old.

But free agent David Wheater, who had been training with Wanderers in the off-season, has joined League Two Oldham Athletic.

Norwich City, recently promoted to the Premier League, are believed to be keeping tabs on the Romania-born star, who impressed during a loan spell with Salford City last season.

Politic helped Salford to a place in the National League play-offs, though injury prevented him from taking part in their successful post-season matches.

After returning to the University of Bolton Stadium this summer Politic featured in the Whites’ only public friendly of pre-season, at York.

And he did his chances of a first-team place at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday no harm whatsoever.

First-team coach Julian Darby said after the friendly at Bootham Crescent: “We have seen that all the way through since he came in at under-15s and 16s, he scored goals for the u18s, scored them for the u23s when he was here, and he did for Salford in the Conference last year. I’m excited to see where he goes.”

While Politic’s Bolton career seems set to take a major step forward, veteran Wheater’s time at Bolton is over.

The centre-back, who joined Wanderers from Middlesbrough in January 2011, had been out of contract since the end of June.

Kilmarnock and Salford had shown interest in taking the 32-year-old but it appeared Wheater was – like everyone connected with the club – awaiting progress with the prospective takeover before making a decision on his future.

Latics confirmed that Wheater signed a one-year deal at Laurent Banide’s side as a like-for-like replacement for their captain Peter Clarke, who left Boundary Park for Fleetwood earlier today.