Ian Evatt has already prepared Wanderers fans to expect an “exciting summer” as he re-shapes a squad with the aim of securing automatic promotion.
Progression in recent years has been achieved with a budget well below League One’s biggest spenders, yet all recent statements coming from the club suggest that gap might be about to close.
Bolton secured striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson to a contract this week, so Ian Evatt knows exactly how strong a squad he carries into 2023/24. And though some positions are clearly understaffed, there has been plenty of debate among the supporters as to where the Whites will look to invest their money this summer.
Nearly 2,000 fans replied to The Bolton News’ recent online questionnaire, detailing which areas they felt were most in need of strengthening and, somewhat surprisingly, they identified striker as the most pressing of all the outfield positions.
More than 82 per cent of the responses said signing a new centre-forward was either ‘very important’ or ‘priority’ beating right wing-back (80.2 per cent) and attacking midfielder (79.7 per cent) into second and third place.
We decided to break down each position on the pitch, look at the existing options, and who has already been linked with a move to Bolton this summer to try and suss out just how busy Evatt and Co could be this summer.
GOALKEEPER – Seeing as James Trafford returned to Manchester City and Joel Dixon was released, Wanderers currently don’t have a keeper with first team experience, so we can consider that a priority in the summer market.
Evatt has already been linked with Brighton’s England Youth James Beadle and Accrington Stanley’s Toby Savin and will undoubtedly be seeking a player who is comfortable with the ball at his feet.
Both Beadle and Savin tick that box. The former was a success at Crewe before injury cut short his season and the latter was a first team regular until March when he was usurped by another former Bolton loanee, Lukas Jensen. Whispers of a fall-out with manager John Coleman have been heard ever since.
Trafford will be a hard act to follow, so whoever comes into the squad will have to be mentally tough knowing comparisons will be inevitable in the short-term.
RIGHT WING-BACK – Another set of big boots to fill after Conor Bradley’s departure and another position which Evatt knows he has to get right.
Gethin Jones is capable of playing there, as is Kieran Sadlier, who has returned from a loan at Leyton Orient with a year left on his contract and a question mark over his future.
But given the highly-publicised chase for former Coventry City man Fankaty Dabo – who is also on Derby County’s wish-list – it is a safe bet there will be at least one more wing-back added to the right flank this summer.
CENTRE-BACK – When Will Aimson decided to take up Exeter City’s offer of a long-term contract in January, Wanderers reacted by bringing in Manchester City’s Luke Mbete on loan as cover. The move did not work out as planned and after some patchy form the young defender picked up an injury which ruled him out for the last month of the season.
Injuries to Eoin Toal, Gethin Jones and Ricardo Santos tested Bolton’s options to the full and required MJ Williams to lace up his defensive boots for the first time since his Rochdale days. To his credit, Williams performed well in the final weeks and got himself the game time that triggered an extra 12 months on his contract.
With Toal picking up an ankle injury on international duty it would not be a big surprise to see Evatt bring in another centre-back as cover for Santos, Jones, Iredale and George Johnston.
LEFT WING-BACK – Jack Iredale’s return from injury makes it a three-way fight on the left for Bolton, and Evatt will again have the option of picking players according to opposition.
Randell Williams improved towards the back end of last season and Declan John confounded us all by getting himself back into contention after Christmas.
With three solid options there would appear to be ample cover but that might also hinge on all three players being content to share time on the pitch.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS – Wanderers arguably have only one out-and-out defensive specialist in MJ Williams, although George Thomason has shown promise as a potential ‘number six’.
Aaron Morley and Josh Sheehan can sit deeper and play quarterback but neither could be accurately described as a ‘ball winner’.
Transfer listed Peterborough United midfielder Ollie Norburn is said to have interested Bolton this summer and he might just be the sort to complement what Evatt has already got.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS – Kieran Lee’s release means Wanderers lose their number 10 specialist and a player whose knowledge of how and when to press the ball often brought out the best in those around him.
Kyle Dempsey had a fine second-half to the season, most often playing that advanced midfield role.
The fact remains, however, that Bolton did not get enough goals from midfield last season and were also found wanting in the creativity stakes against the best opponents League One had to offer. Would a player like Norburn tick a couple of those boxes?
STRIKERS – With Jon Dadi Bodvarsson now signed up, Bolton have four options up front, with last season’s top scorer Dion Charles, Victor Adeboyejo and Cameron Jerome also under contract.
Elias Kachunga was released, and loanees Shola Shoretire and Dan Nlundulu returned to Manchester United and Southampton, respectively.
It seems likely that Bolton will try again with Nlundulu. Evatt is keen to work with him again and feels he can get more out of him with a solid pre-season and more time to coach the intricacies of his system.
It is often said you cannot have enough strikers – and Bolton’s relatively meagre goal return last term has promoted plenty of fans to look around at the options available. Cheltenham’s Alfie May looks to be on the move, Peterborough have put Jonson Clarke-Harris up for sale and the oft-discussed Cole Stockton is available on a free.
Evatt’s boosted playing budget might mean there will not be a better time to sign a proven attacking option which might have been out of the club’s reach in the last couple of years.
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