IAN Evatt has hit back at suggestion that Wanderers have over-spent on new recruits this summer.

Last week saw nine new additions to the squad – and the head coach says he is looking to add up to three more new faces before the start of the season.

But every deal will be squarely within the rules voted in by EFL clubs last Friday, which limit League Two clubs to a salary cap of £1.5million, excluding promotion and cup bonuses.

To balance out the numbers, Evatt is looking to send some of his younger players out on work experience loans, which would enable them to train with the squad during the week and then play non-league football at the weekend.

George Thomason played against Wanderers for Bamber Bridge at the weekend and will remain at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium for the rest of the season.

Others – including Callum King-Harmes, Sonny Graham and Adam Senior – could also be given time out on loan to get games under their belt.

Wanderers’ early business to bring in the likes of Eoin Doyle, Antoni Sarcevic and Nathan Delfouneso has attracted some envious glances from rival clubs but Evatt is adamant that every bit of business done this summer has been above board.

“Me and Tobias (Phoenix) laugh about this on a daily basis,” he told The Bolton News. “We are not a cash cow – and just because we’re signing players we’re spending millions of pounds but we’re really not.

“We are living within our means, within the budget, within the salary cap. Just because we recruit well – in our opinion – and have spent time researching our options, looking at everything out there, does not mean we are over-spending.”

Wanderers’ financial issues have been front and centre in recent years and Evatt believes past problems under previous ownership have clouded people’s judgement of the current situation.

“It has, one hundred percent,” he said. But that is nothing to do with us.

“At the end of the day, people can say and think what they want. Anyone can claim we’re overspending but we know we’re not, and that’s what is important.”

A year ago, Wanderers’ youngest-ever team fought out a 0-0 draw against eventual League One champions Coventry City. Eight of the starting line-up remain at the club – and Evatt has assured any of the players who are loaned out that they will not be forgotten about.

“Some of the younger ones played first team football too early because of the situation at Bolton, in my opinion,” he said. “Obviously, we’re bring in players so that puts them further down the pecking order.

“It doesn’t mean there isn’t a future for them, of course there is. My job as a coach is to manage them and improve them, and we will.

“Monday to Friday I’d want them to be training with us and learning but then Saturday they can get out there and get match minutes against men, and then they are ready to step into the first team.”