Bolton Wanderers head coach Ian Evatt has confirmed that the club have seen bids rejected at the start of the transfer window but will submit improved offers.
The Trotters begin 2025 hoping to finally earn a place back in the Championship for the first time since 2016. However, they have endured an inconsistent opening few months to the campaign and currently sit eighth in League One.
A three-match winless streak came to an end on Sunday when they produced an emphatic 3-0 win over Lincoln City, and they currently sit three points off sixth-placed Reading. However, they do possess at least one game in hand over the teams above them.
Bolton Going For Broke
Bolton’s ambitions are quite clear. After the bitter disappointment of losing in the play-off final to Oxford United last May, promotion is the only thing that will make this season a successful one.
The club have made it clear that Ian Evatt will be given all the tools to achieve just that, with it already confirmed that Aaron Morley has been recalled early from his season-long loan at Wycombe Wanderers. Ahead of this afternoon’s trip to Mansfield Town, Evatt confirmed that he is looking to complete his transfer business early. Speaking to The Bolton News, the 43-year-old said:
“We have made one or two bids for players which, at the moment, have been rejected, but we are about to up them today,” he said.
“Obviously we always have a valuation on players and we are those now, so if we don’t achieve them we will look for something else.
“I do think there will be movement now. Our main aspiration in this window isn’t depth, it is to move to needle and improve our first XI. Obviously when you sign new players things change within your own squad and there will be people who want regular game time that we can’t necessarily offer them. They may look to exit.
“You have to be fluid in every window but particularly January because there is a shorter timeframe. Things happen quickly and change every hour, really, so we will have to keep an eye on things but things are moving.”
Writer’s View
Bolton’s start to the season has meant that they were always playing catch up but it is clear that they will through everything at achieving promotion. Their victory against Lincoln was an impressive one, although they were perhaps fortunate by the half-time dismissal of Imps midfielder Ethan Erhahon.
Other results throughout December show the Trotters will need reinforcements to secure a place in the top six, something the board are clearly willing to accommodate early in the month. Bolton are one to keep an eye on during the second half of the season.
Head of Writing
