Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has claimed that on-loan Southampton man Dan Nlundulu has the potential to follow in the path of England international Ivan Toney, according to the Bolton News.
The striker joined Bolton and their playoff push in January after spending the first half of the season at League One rival Cheltenham Town and has gone on to make 13 appearances and net once for The Trotters.
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Who is Dan Nlundulu?
Nlundulu is a 24-year-old French-born striker who has been on the books at Southampton for a decade.
He has spent time out on loan at Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City and now Bolton Wanderers as well as making 16 appearances and scoring once for his parent club.
Nlundulu is under contract at Southampton for another year after this season with The Saints looking increasingly likely to be playing Championship football next year it remains to be seen whether the frontman is in line for more game time at St Mary’s with the drop in level.
Nlundulu and Toney Compared
At present, there is no comparison between the two with Toney rubbing shoulders with the likes of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane at the top of the scoring charts in the Premier League and Nlundulu netting just once for Bolton. However, how do the stats compare for both at Nlundulu’s current age of 24?
Toney had started his career at Northampton Town where he managed 13 goals in 60 games before a move to Premier League side Newcastle United at 19. From there, his career could perhaps be likened to that of Nlundulu as he embarked on several loan spells at clubs like Barnsley, Shrewsbury and Wigan but it was his two loans at Scunthorpe United where the striker returned almost a goal every other game.
By the age of 22, he had made 268 first-team appearances and scored 92 goals which is roughly one in three. It was from there that he stepped his career up another level following a permanent move from Newcastle to Peterborough United going on to score 40 League One goals in 70 appearances before a big-money move to Brentford at the age of 24.
Nlundulu, by comparison, has played less than 100 minutes of Premier League football and made 56 League One appearances and scored 7 times.
Aside from the goals and games stats, how do the two compare? Well, Nlundulu has been described as a well-rounded striker who is capable of involving himself in the build-up play but also likes to stretch the defence in behind. His ability to find space and his ability to finish has also been praised. Toney is the main man at Brentford and leads the line brilliantly. He has good aerial ability, is able to hold the ball up and presses the opposition well. And, of course, he knows where the net is.
What’s Been Said?
Bolton manager Ian Evatt spoke about Nlundulu after his side’s 3-2 victory over Bristol Rovers, the former Barrow gaffer said, “I think Dan has so many tools and I have said to him that I’d love to work with him on a full-time basis because I think there is a real player in there.”
“This is a massive comparison but I see him as an Ivan Toney type. He can have a similar journey, he just needs coaching and some time. Given that I think we can make him into a real player.”
“He has bought into us as a football club, he has enjoyed playing here, and we have seen flashes of what he can do.”
Writer’s View
With the way Ivan Toney’s career is going at present, this comparison by Evatt may seem an odd one. It appears Nlundulu is highly regarded by those at Southampton but the suggestion that he can match the journey of an England international, who would cost above £50 million, will raise a few eyebrows.
Physically, Nlundulu could match the Brentford man but needs to find consistency in his performances and build on the potential those at the Saints Academy believe he has. Perhaps finding a permanent home and working with a manager who clearly admires him would benefit the striker.
I guess you will never know how a player will develop but at 24 years of age, Nlundulu is not in the bracket or youngster but is inexperienced in terms of games and the next year of his career could prove to be his most important. If he can start to show the sort of form that Toney did at 24, then Southampton won’t be letting him leave on the cheap.
