LEAGUE One clubs are seemingly queueing at Cheltenham Town’s door for a chance to sign Alfie May – but should Wanderers be one of them?

With 48 goals in his last two seasons at this level, the 29-year-old striker has made himself one of this summer’s ‘must have’ signings.

May has 12 months left on his contract, leaving his club with a big decision to make this summer as they weigh up the pros and cons of him walking out for nothing. Any fee they receive will be dented by a sell-on fee they agreed to when he signed from Doncaster Rovers in 2020, and with some big budgets now circling it seems inevitable they will have to set their price.

Wanderers have experienced first-hand the Gravesend-born front man’s late blossoming career, through a promotion season in League Two and a pair of prolific campaigns in League One. And Ian Evatt has happily picked him out for praise in the build-up any time the two sides have met.

Though the Bolton boss insists his club will not risk financial instability this summer, he does feel his budget will be increased to allow him access to players who can push his team from play-off contenders towards the top two spots.

There was much to admire from Wanderers last season but there can be little debate that their goal return was slim, often placing extra pressure on any rare lapses at the back.

Dion Charles managed 21 goals despite getting through plenty of unselfish running to maintain the manager’s high pressing strategy, which contributed greatly to a strong defensive record. Alongside him, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s reasonable contribution of eight goals in all competitions was limited by injury, and only Conor Bradley really guaranteed any semi-regular supply elsewhere.

It is hoped that with some time to work closely with the coaching staff this summer that Victor Adeboyejo will be able to increase his goal return. He had arrived with 13 scored at Burton but added only a few more as he slowly got to grips with the tactical demands of the team.

Southampton loanee Dan Nlundulu, who played alongside May at Cheltenham in the first half of the season, experienced similar issues drilling down into exactly what was required to succeed in Evatt’s preferred shape and system.

Failure to get past Barnsley in the play-off semi-final is unlikely to mean Evatt will throw the baby out with the bathwater and change drastically the methods that have got him this far. And so, it is reasonable to ask whether May – who has played a very different brand of football at Cheltenham this last few years – is ideally suited?

Last summer all eyes turned towards Morecambe’s chief goal-getter Cole Stockton, another well-travelled striker whose career was reaching a peak in his late twenties. Bolton examined the situation closely but refrained from making a bid and following the Shrimps’ relegation to League Two he has now been released on a free transfer.

With 10 goals, the last campaign in a struggling side has not been anywhere near as impressive as the last, and yet the rumour mill has already suggested that Lincoln and Sheffield Wednesday are among the clubs sniffing around to take him for nothing.

Whereas May and Stockton will turn 30 before the end of next season, Manchester native Sam Smith could be a an equally appetising free-agent after leaving Cambridge United.

The former Reading man has 35 goals to show for his last two seasons in League One but is 25 years of age, so could represent more of a long-term prospect.

He grabbed a late equaliser at the UniBol on Easter Monday to silence more than 24,000 people at the UniBol and would have done the same at the Abbey Stadium had it not been for some late heroics from James Trafford. Now Smith is looking for his next challenge, with Portsmouth said to be keen.

Whether brought in by transfer fee, like May, or on a free – with inevitably higher wages – like Smith or Stockton, Wanderers know they will have to spend to bring in a player with proven goalscoring talent to play alongside Charles.

Evatt is keen to work with Nlundulu again and has faith that Adeboyejo can fulfil his own price tag. Bodvarsson’s pedigree suggests that if he can stay fit, goals will follow.

But there are signs that this pre-season may be the time that Wanderers and their ownership make a statement of intent. And goals are the most expensive commodity of all.