IAN Evatt insists Muhammadu Faal’s loan at Barnet need not spell the end of his Bolton career.

Though the London club state they have an option to make the striker’s loan permanent in January, Evatt says he will be keeping tabs on his progress if they do not exercise the clause.

Faal played twice as a substitute last season under Keith Hill and had been side-lined for most of the current campaign with a fractured foot.

Evatt admitted it was unlikely that Faal would get adequate game time with Eoin Doyle, Nathan Delfouneso and Shaun Miller ahead of him in the first team queue.

“He needs to play,” said the Whites boss. “Obviously we’ve got players coming back that are fit and healthy right now to play at that position that we’ve signed and invested in with Eoin and with Nathan and Shaun. So, Mo needs to go out and play games.”

Faal signed from non-league Enfield Town last January and is contracted up to the end of June 2021.

The 23-year-old’s departure may now free up more space for Evatt to bring in new signings in January – but Evatt has not ruled out the idea that Faal could come back into the fold next summer if he impresses at The Hive.

“We’ll never close the door on anybody, but he needs to go there and play games and score goals - it’s that simple,” he said. “Did I see enough here for him to challenge the ones we already have? No because that’s why he’s gone out on loan.

“But the door’s never closed. He has to go there and prove that he can do it and do it consistently and if he does that, we’ve always got the option to get him back.”

Wanderers planned to send out a handful of players to non-league clubs on loan, including Adam Senior and Sonny Graham but have been hamstrung by the uncertainties to the grassroots game’s finances and scheduling caused by the pandemic.

It is hoped that non-elite football will resume at the start of December and that Bolton will still be able to get some of their fringe players some regular game time.

But Evatt says there has been one success story, which should act as an inspiration for Faal.

“Non-league clubs can’t afford right now to be paying wages out because they need help,” he said. “Football needs help to stay afloat, especially lower down the pyramid so that’s probably why it hasn’t happened, and they need to play before it will.

“I must say that George Thomason at Bamber Bridge, what he’s done there and achieved so far this season, hasn’t gone unnoticed. He’s going to be a very good player as well, I like George, I like his attitude, I like what he’s done there, and I think he’s got a future here as well.”