WANDERERS are facing competition from three Championship clubs in their battle to sign last season’s loan success Marlon Fossey.

Ian Evatt had hoped to wrap up the 23-year-old American’s signature quickly this summer but now faces the prospect of having a deal snatched from his fingertips.

Fossey became a fans’ favourite during a short loan spell between January and March, before which a price was informally agreed with his parent club Fulham.

His season was cut short by a knee injury – but Wanderers confirmed that they were still on course to sign him on a permanent basis, regardless.

It has now emerged that the wing-back’s success over 16 appearances for the Whites has drawn attention from elsewhere, and though Fulham were seemingly willing sellers on their promotion to the Premier League, the club is now fielding bids from elsewhere and the situation has taken a more complicated turn.

Fossey has made no secret of the fact he enjoyed his time at Bolton, stoking up anticipation of his signature with some eye-catching social media clips.

His arrival does not appear the formality it once did, however, and Evatt will hope that the player’s affinity for the club could outweigh the prospect of playing at a higher level, or potentially greater financial reward.

It is known that Wanderers have looked at alternative targets to fill the right wing-back spot next season, just as they have back-up options for goalkeeper should James Trafford be unable to return from Manchester City.

Should the club lose out on Fossey, however, it would be a bitter blow, especially considering the form they showed once the player his peak fitness in the early part of the New Year.

Meanwhile, Amadou Bakayoko has linked up with the Sierra Leone squad in the Guinean captial of Conakry in preparation for their upcoming AFCON qualifier against Nigeria.

The Wanderers striker is one of five foreign-based players who have joined a group of 12 for light training sessions. The full squad of 25 will travel to play against Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday (June 9).

Bakayoko scored his first goal for his country against Liberia in March and hopes to add to his three international caps to date, with a second qualifier to come in Sierra Leone against Guinea Bissau on June 13.