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Wanderers are fighting to keep home-grown midfielder Josh Vela after interest from a Championship club was rebuffed last week.
The Bolton News understands two bids have been rejected for the 22-year-old, who has been identified as a key part of Phil Parkinson’s plans.
Vela is out of contract next summer and has not been offered any new deal to date. He was chased by Cardiff City through much of last season and though the Whites boss is keen to retain his services, a third bid is expected this week to further test the club’s resolve.
Parkinson reckons the Salford-born academy graduate wants to stay at the Macron Stadium after an encouraging start to the season.
Wanderers won their first away game in 495 days at Wimbledon on Saturday to register back-to-back victories at the start of the season for the first time since 2001.
But Parkinson does not want success over the first two games to temper the Whites’ determination to improve their squad in the next two weeks.
“There has been an offer but Josh wants to stay here,” Parkinson told The Bolton News. “We don’t want to sell anyone – we want to add to our squad.
“We can’t let the two wins cloud what we need to do in terms of our squad building.
“Charlton lost their opening game and then went straight out and bought someone. We can’t settle down and say ‘everything’s fine’ we need to push on again – and part of that is to keep our best players.”
Vela has featured in all three games in league and cup this season but ended up playing more than 90 minutes in the EFL Cup against Blackpool after an injury to Derik Osede.
“Josh ran himself into the ground against Sheffield United on the opening day and I wanted to rest him on Tuesday against Blackpool,” he said. “In the end we had to play him and he has found it physically tough today.
“But he is a good player and we would definitely like to keep him.”
Wanderers had to toil at the Cherry Red Records Stadium to seal their first away win since April 2015 but that didn’t prevent Parkinson celebrating a gritty performance.
“We said at the hotel the night before the game there is no better feeling after a six-hour journey than to take three points back home with you,” he said. “We know what this league will be like. We need to be able to grind out results when we are not at our best.”
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The Bolton News understands two bids have been rejected for the 22-year-old, who has been identified as a key part of Phil Parkinson’s plans.
Vela is out of contract next summer and has not been offered any new deal to date. He was chased by Cardiff City through much of last season and though the Whites boss is keen to retain his services, a third bid is expected this week to further test the club’s resolve.
Parkinson reckons the Salford-born academy graduate wants to stay at the Macron Stadium after an encouraging start to the season.
Wanderers won their first away game in 495 days at Wimbledon on Saturday to register back-to-back victories at the start of the season for the first time since 2001.
But Parkinson does not want success over the first two games to temper the Whites’ determination to improve their squad in the next two weeks.
“There has been an offer but Josh wants to stay here,” Parkinson told The Bolton News. “We don’t want to sell anyone – we want to add to our squad.
“We can’t let the two wins cloud what we need to do in terms of our squad building.
“Charlton lost their opening game and then went straight out and bought someone. We can’t settle down and say ‘everything’s fine’ we need to push on again – and part of that is to keep our best players.”
Vela has featured in all three games in league and cup this season but ended up playing more than 90 minutes in the EFL Cup against Blackpool after an injury to Derik Osede.
“Josh ran himself into the ground against Sheffield United on the opening day and I wanted to rest him on Tuesday against Blackpool,” he said. “In the end we had to play him and he has found it physically tough today.
“But he is a good player and we would definitely like to keep him.”
Wanderers had to toil at the Cherry Red Records Stadium to seal their first away win since April 2015 but that didn’t prevent Parkinson celebrating a gritty performance.
“We said at the hotel the night before the game there is no better feeling after a six-hour journey than to take three points back home with you,” he said. “We know what this league will be like. We need to be able to grind out results when we are not at our best.”
Source
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