Three key men that Wanderers could see interest in this summer with the decisions to be made likely to split the fanbase.
Regardless of the division that Bolton Wanderers would have found themselves in next season, the Trotters would have had a lot of interest in some key players.
However, their 2-0 defeat to Oxford United in the League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium over the weekend, means that they will be in even more danger than expected with clubs from the Championship looking at some of their star talents.
This is a look at two or three of the most sought after individuals within Ian Evatt’s squad and whether it may actually be a reasonable idea for Wanderers to sell and re-invest.
Ricardo Santos
Ian Evatt, back down in League Two, once said that there was no better defender outside the Premier League, and for the vast majority of the time he has been a genuinely elite level defender in the third-tier, both on the ball and defensively, for the Trotters. However, having pneumonia and lots of injuries, including one this season, has led to a major dip in his performances for Evatt’s side.
Many supporters were heavily critical of Santos for his performance in the aforementioned play-off final and there may now be a situation where the majority would no longer be disappointed to see their captain sold. Whether a club comes in for him and offers money is another issue, but it is a likelihood given the ceiling that he has already shown himself capable of reaching.
Dion Charles
For a second successive season, Dion Charles led the scoring charts for Bolton Wanderers with 20 goals across all competitions for the Whites and 13 in League One but, once again, he spent large parts of the season out injured and that is becoming a frustration for both Ian Evatt and supporters. He is currently on 49 goals for Bolton and looking to become the first player since Kevin Nolan to reach a half-century for Wanderers.
The Northern Ireland international joined from Accrington Stanley in January 2022 for a fee believed to be in the region of £320,000 and immediately became a fans’ favourite with a stunning winner against Shrewsbury Town and then a hard-working brace in a 6-0 demolition of Sunderland that same month. However, with both Stoke City and Watford previously heavily linked, it would be no great shock to see his departure from the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Aaron Collins
One man that is not for sale and should not be for sale, as all Bolton fans will agree, is their other key attacker, Aaron Collins. The 26-year-old Newport-born forward joined the Whites from Bristol Rovers for a fee believed to be in the region of £750,000 in the January transfer window. He perhaps started slowly but has gone on to score nine goals and provide two assists as he helped propel Wanderers to Wembley.
The Welshman, who was voted League One’s Player of the Year in 2022/23 in a season in which three teams earned over 96 points and one of those sides is now in the Premier League, has added a different dimension and creative spark to Ian Evatt’s side. The one saving grace for the Whites may be that Collins did majorly dip in the first-half of this season, so predators in the Championship may be circling but waiting for Collins to do it for another full season.