Bolton Wanderers have acted swiftly to tie down midfielder George Thomason to a new deal following his decision to remain at the club, according to official club media.
The 22-year-old was subject of a seven-figure bid from Championship side Bristol City last week, with the Robins hoping to secure his services following the departure of Alex Scott to Bournemouth for a fee of around £25 million.
Rumours immediately surfaced of their interest in Thomason, with Bolton manager Ian Evatt confirming that a significant bid had been received for the player. However, the former Longridge Town youngster rejected the move, opting to continue at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Thomason only signed a new deal to keep him at the club until 2025 last December, but the Trotters have elected to extend that until 2027 in order to reward him for his loyalty.
What Has Been Said?
Upon confirmation of the news, Evatt stated that talks had taken place with Thomason to convince him to remain in the North West;
“When that bid came in for that amount, we have to put forward our case as to why we want him to be here,” said the former Barrow boss.
“It wasn’t a financial motivation for George, but it was important we recognised his loyalty and recognised his position in the squad, which has gone from being a young player in development stage to being a fully-fledged important first team member and his contract reflects that.
“We’re delighted he’s committed his future to us and I think there’s a huge amount of progression still to come from him.
“George has been in the building since my first day here and I’ve seen a huge amount of progression from him.
“His journey has been very much aligned with that of the football club. Where we’ve progressed, he’s progressed, and I think there’s a huge ceiling with him and lots more to come. We’re delighted to have him for the future and to continue the journey together.”
Writer’s View
It’s rare in football these days to see a player reject an opportunity to play at a higher level, particularly to a club that have ambitions of playing in the Premier League. That is a testament to the journey that Bolton are on, themselves harbouring their own aims of returning to England’s top flight in the coming years.
Thomason is a player that has time on his side and the decision to extend his contract until 2027 is a smart one. It protects their asset and could see them land an even higher fee should he continue to attract Championship interest.
However, the 22-year-old is clearly a player that Ian Evatt sees as key to Bolton’s promotion push this season, having featured in all three of their opening fixtures this season.
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