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Ian Evatt says he will have cash to spend in January – but has ruled out a move for League One’s top scorer, Cole Stockton.
The Morecambe front man was linked with Wanderers at the weekend and has already bagged 13 goals this term.
Evatt admits he is a fan of the Huyton-born 27-year-old and is understood to have a new striker in his sights for the forthcoming January window.
But the Wanderers boss says Stockton is not on his immediate radar as he looks to boost his goalscoring options for a play-off push in the New Year.
“Cole is a player we are aware of and he’s a Morecambe player so I don’t want to go into much more detail but it’s obvious he has had a very good season. He was good for them last season in League Two as well,” he told The Bolton News.
“For now, he isn’t one we’re looking to do, and that’s the truth.
“He is doing very well for Morecambe and I think we should pay them the respect they are due but he’s definitely improving and that is very good for him.”
Mounting injuries during November, and particularly the loss of playmaker Josh Sheehan for the whole season, have forced Evatt to rethink his strategy for the winter window.
The Whites have also been linked with a move for Accrington Stanley contract rebel Dion Charles – who is also reportedly on the wanted list for Championship outfit Nottingham Forest.
Evatt is confident that he will get the financial backing he needs in January to strengthen sufficiently, and a shortlist of potential names has now been established between himself and Chris Markham, the club’s technical performance director.
“We have a very defined idea of what we want in January,” he said. “A Bolton Wanderers player looks ‘this way’ and is able to do ‘this’.
“There are lots of people linking us with different people and we know who we want. All that hard work has been done now and it is down to the more difficult conversations to see whether it is achievable or not.
“The board has backed me from day one and they know I am respectful of their money. We will try and do things the right way but there is money available to spend.
“We will try and get it right, as we did do last January.”
Wanderers face Fleetwood Town in the Papa John’s Trophy second round tonight with Evatt caught in a quandary over how many of his first team players to risk.
Several first teamers have been side-lined through injury in the last few weeks and with a League One game at Fleetwood to play in a week’s time, the Wanderers boss admits he may have to compromise.
“It is probably a game we could do without, in terms of timing,” he said. “But we should never complain about an opportunity to get to Wembley and as someone who has played there a few times I can say it is an experience you never forget so I hope we find a way to keep this cup run going and give ourselves a chance of that big day out.”
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