Bolton Wanderers will be determined to make promotion a reality this season with their latest moves sending a statement of intent to the rest of League One.
Back-to-back campaigns have seen Bolton cement their place at the top end of the division, a play-off spot last time out the validation needed in their climb back up the pyramid.
Relegation to League Two is now a distant memory with a return to the Championship the only thing on the mind of Ian Evatt and co. A fifth place finish saw Bolton avoid any final day pandemonium before facing Barnsley in the play-off semi finals, an agonising 2-1 defeat on aggregate delaying the Trotters revival.
The heartbreak of the play-offs leaves no time to dwell on past mistakes, instead smart planning has seen Bolton make smart moves already in the transfer window, while keeping hold of their star names.
Moves for Chelsea shot-stopper Nathan Baxter and Joel Coleman sees Bolton replenish the goalkeeping department while intriguing loan moves for Paris Maghoma and Zac Ashworth present players with a point to prove.
Elsewhere, defender Will Forrester’s arrival was a quiet yet pivotal signing at the back while further up the field Dan Nlundulu rejoins on a permanent basis alongside new recruit Carlos Mendes Gomes.
Bolton, however, don’t seem done just yet with new bodies and new contracts still a priority. Here is all the latest Wanderers news…
Wolves defender joins the ranks
Luke Matheson has joined the Bolton setup on a 12-month deal after a successful trial spell, as confirmed by the club.
The 20-year-old initially joins Bolton’s B side after being involved in the last three pre-season friendlies with hopes of more regular game time after an unsuccessful time in the West Midlands. The former Rochdale youngster made headlines after making his first-team debut at 15 before scoring an equaliser at Old Trafford one year on to take Manchester United to penalties in the EFL Cup.
The full-back later joined Premier League outfit Wolves in January 2020 before returning to the Dale for the remainder of the season. Involved in the academy setup, Matheson experienced a spell of various loan spells across the UK to the likes of Ipswich, Hamilton, and Scunthorpe United but failed to make his mark on his ventures.
A chance to impress for the B side could be what is needed to reignite his journey after such a heroic opening chapter.
Johnston renews despite injury
George Johnston has signed a new three-year deal despite being ruled out of the 2023/24 season with a knee injury.
The Liverpool academy graduate’s original deal was set to expire next summer but the club have opted to retain the defender.
He becomes the fourth senior player to sign a new deal this summer, following on from Gethin Jones, Kyle Dempsey and John Sheehan.
The 24-year-old was a mainstay in Ian Evatt’s side last season, registering 36 appearances within a backline proving tough to break down – an impressive 16 clean sheets while boasting the second-best defensive record in the division with just 36 goals conceded.
The responsibility now falls on the likes of Ricardo Santos and Jones to maintain such high defensive standards.
Evatt loving life in Greater Manchester despite Championship interest
Evatt’s appointment as Bolton head coach came at a rather tumultuous time for the club after back-to-back relegations to League Two.
Fresh off the back of promotion with Barrow from the National League, Evatt elevated the Trotters with a sense of positivity cascading over the place, much to the delight of the Bolton faithful. He secured automatic promotion back to the third tier in his first season charge, where his side have become an established top-half side.
Evatt and co. secured a play-off place and despite falling to defeat against Barnsley, the Bolton boss is positive going into the new season and eager to get going.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, he said: “I am hugely loyal to this ownership group, to this football club, to the fans that have treated me so well and I want to go on a journey and this journey is far from over.
“There isn’t another job in the world now that could take me away from it and it’s really easy to say that.
