Bolton set to wrap up signing of former Reading and Galatasaray midfielder Jem Karacan

Jem Karacan is close to being named Wanderers’ first signing of the summer, The Bolton News understands.

The former Reading and Galatasaray midfielder has agreed terms on a one-year deal with the option of another 12 months and, pending a medical, will sign officially today.

Karacan played five times for the Whites at the end of last season after the Football League gave special dispensation for him to sign two separate month-long contracts.

He scored against Peterborough United to help clinch promotion on a dramatic last day of the season – and proved somewhat of a lucky charm for Phil Parkinson’s side, who won all five of the games in which he was involved, scoring 17 goals in the process.

Karacan made 131 appearances in the Championship for Reading and another 26 in the Premier League.

And speaking to The Bolton News at the end of the season he made little secret of his desire to stay on at the Macron Stadium.

“I’d love to play Championship football at Bolton,” he said. “I’ve won it before, I know what it’s all about, so hopefully that experience can help the club.

“I’ve been in Turkey the last couple of years but I’ve seen what the club has been through. Even still, you come here, play on the pitch and sample just what this place is about – it really is massive.

“I’ve just loved being back home so if there’s a contract for me here, I would sign it.”

The former Turkey Under-21 international left the Madejski Stadium in 2015 to pursue a dream move to Galatasaray.

Despite making his Champions League debut against Atletico Madrid and winning the Turkish Super Cup, the midfielder’s time in the Bosporus proved a disaster and after a short loan at Bursaspor he mutually terminated his contract to seek a club back in England.

Wanderers answered his call after a recommendation from ex-Reading striker Adam Le Fondre and after proving his fitness Karacan made a surprise debut as a substitute in the 4-2 victory at Fleetwood.

Karacan could soon be joined by more of last season’s promotion heroes, with confident noises coming from the Whites’ camp about contract negotiations.

Source

Looks too lightweight to me. Good goal in the final game but did nothing else to suggest he will be able to make the step up.

Hope I'm wrong, but it's unlikely.

he's a proven Championship player and a good signing i reckon. Once he's had a pre-season and is fully fit we will see the benefit.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Looks too lightweight to me. 

Well there's a surprise.....

It's an ok signing. What have we had so far 8 out and 1 in ..... first job is to make sure we can put out an half-way decent first 11 then add a couple of quality players from there.....that's about all we can hope for IMO.

Bread2.0 wrote:Well there's a surprise.....

I've eaten fatter Twiglets.

Yep not like that giant Messi

wessy wrote:Yep not like that giant Messi

Once again you miss the point. I said "lightweight", not small.

Jermaine Beckford is tall but he's still lightweight.

Messi isn't lightweight.

PM me if you still don't understand.

KA says he has signed a 1 year deal so it's official, a good start to the signings