Bolton make ambitious bid to sign two West Ham youngsters on loan

Wanderers have registered their interest in taking West Ham pair Josh Cullen and Reece Burke on loan this season.

The two highly-rated youngsters have worked with Phil Parkinson before at Bradford City and are on the Whites’ shortlist if the Hammers decide to send them out for more experience.

Cullen was considered last season before a surplus of midfielders in the Wanderers camp made the manager look elsewhere.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has got four senior appearances under his belt with West Ham and has been tipped for a regular spot in Slaven Bilic’s squad this time around.

But Parkinson has marked the 21-year-old’s card if his club decides a year in the Championship would be better for his development and the Whites could have a midfield spot to fill if Jay Spearing’s contract talks do not go according to plan.

Whereas Wanderers may have to sit and wait to see if Cullen is allowed out on loan this term, West Ham have already indicated Burke will be available after a spell with Wigan Athletic last season was blighted by injury.

In May, Hammers co-owner David Gold controversially expressed doubts about whether his club’s younger players would be able to push past senior professionals to command a regular Premier League spot.

Since then, defender Reece Oxford has been loaned out to German giants Borussia Monchendgladbach.

Wanderers would be able to offer regular football and have the fact Parkinson is well-known to both players counting in their favour.

Burke played under the Whites boss at Bradford two years ago and won the Bantams’ player of the year award aged just 19.

He is primarily a centre-half and has 12 appearances for his parent club, including experience in the Europa League.

Parkinson is on the lookout for competition across his defence but reports of interest in former Swindon Town centre-back Raphael Branco – now at Portuguese club Boavista - have been strongly denied by sources at the Macron.

Wanderers will begin their pre-season training this morning with a series of fitness tests, leading up to their first friendly at Chorley.

Source

Josh Cullen would be a coup but it's interesting to note that it's couched in the context of being needed "if Jay Spearing's contract negotiations don't go according to plan". 
I speculated Jay may be asking for too much money elsewhere (rumour Nat, rumour!) but this is the first time the mouthpiece has suggested there is even a possibility the negotiations might not go smoothly.