WANDERERS have made an early statement on intent in the transfer market by snapping up West Ham winger Dapo Afolayan on a three-year deal.

The 23-year-old proved a big hit on loan from the Hammers last season, scoring on the final day against Crawley to help Ian Evatt’s side cement a top three spot and promotion to League One.

Playing 21 games in all, his arrival coincided with Bolton’s rapid rise up the table from February onwards, and he now becomes the club’s first official signing of the summer.

Speaking to the club after the deal was rubber-stamped, Afolayan said he hoped to reward the faith which had been shown in him by manager Evatt, and the Wanderers fanbase, who cheered him from afar last season.

“I’m delighted to have made the move permanent,” he said. “Since I joined on loan at the end of January, it has been amazing. For me, it’s the best thing for me to do – to keep playing regularly for a club that has embraced me.

“It was only right for me to repay that loyalty back to the club, back to the manager and the owners, and the fans as well.”

More than 5,000 fans have now renewed their season ticket at the University of Bolton Stadium for next season, with most seats yet to go on open sale.

Ian Evatt’s squad is starting to take shape, and in a week where Gethin Jones and Lloyd Isgrove have already committed to two-year deals, the Bolton boss was delighted to secured one of last season’s real finds to a permanent contract.

“Dapo has shown that he is a very talented young footballer,” he said.

“It’s my job to get assets on the football pitch for Bolton Wanderers and Dapo is certainly an asset.

“Hopefully, we can take Dapo where he wants to go and vice versa with Dapo taking the club to where it should be.”

Afolayan has packed plenty into a professional career which is just over two years old.

He was signed by West Ham from non-league Solihull Moors and loaned out initially to Oldham Athletic and then Mansfield Town.

Last season he was playing for the Hammers' Under-23s team when David Moyes called him up to the senior squad just 24 hours later for an FA Cup game against Doncaster Rovers. Afolayan repaid his faith and scored on his full debut in a 4-0 win.

The winger played for West Ham's Under-21 in the Papa John's Trophy but wanted regular football and had the option of several League One and Two clubs in the January window.

He picked Bolton after a discussion with Ian Evatt about his role in the team and the style of football he would be playing - and after making a debut off the bench in a home draw with Morecambe, he barely looked back.

Afolayan finished the season with gleaming statistics which showed he carried the ball more than any other player in League Two.