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Wanderers will look to bring in another goalkeeper before the close of the January transfer window if they can agree a deal with Fleetwood to send back Billy Crellin.
Ian Evatt would ideally like to sign a new first-choice stopper and allow current number one Matt Gilks to return to his role as coach.
But the situation at managerless Fleetwood is a complicated one with FIVE goalkeepers currently on the books.
Joe Hilton was loaned from Blackburn Rovers this week, with Joel Coleman, Szymon Czajor, Johnathon Borwick and Alex Cairns – who was also on Bolton’s radar last summer – also in the queue for a first team spot.
Wanderers may now have to wait to see whether Crellin could be loaned out elsewhere by Fleetwood before being able to cut their own loan deal short.
Gilks has done an admirable job since taking up the gloves, bringing himself back up to full fitness to take over from Crellin at the start of November, but the 38-year-old is a short-term fix and wants to get back to full-time coaching.
Evatt is happy with the veteran’s current form but admits he will be looking to bring in another keeper if the situation becomes less complicated.
“We’re always on the lookout,” he told The Bolton News. “Obviously with the salary cap and the limited numbers, it kind of depends on how the situation develops.
“But yes, of course we’re on the lookout. Matt’s done a great job for us at 38 and not played for over a year. It’s a credit to himself and a credit to the football club what he’s done. He can do it and he can continue because he’s shown he can make big saves for us.
“Do we need to look to bring more players into the squad in general? Yes, of course we do.”
Wanderers are confident they can land a new striker towards the end of the transfer window and Evatt has not ruled out moving on peripheral players to make space in the quota for more signings.
On Tuesday night, the Bolton boss was able to look to his bench and bring on Ali Crawford and Arthur Gnahoua to get his side back into the game. But he has also seen plans disrupted in the last few days as Luton Town recalled Peter Kioso and new loan signing Declan John picked up a minor hamstring injury, keeping him out for a fortnight.
With that in mind, he is keen to ensure he has plenty of options by the end of the window.
“We went from having Peter and Declan fit to play at Exeter and then within the space of a day losing them both, so that’s what can happen in football,” he said.
“You have to make sure you have cover and, luckily for us, we had Harry Brockbank and Gethin Jones, who both did a great job.
“Football changes really quickly but we just have to have the ammunition to be able to change it.”
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Ian Evatt would ideally like to sign a new first-choice stopper and allow current number one Matt Gilks to return to his role as coach.
But the situation at managerless Fleetwood is a complicated one with FIVE goalkeepers currently on the books.
Joe Hilton was loaned from Blackburn Rovers this week, with Joel Coleman, Szymon Czajor, Johnathon Borwick and Alex Cairns – who was also on Bolton’s radar last summer – also in the queue for a first team spot.
Wanderers may now have to wait to see whether Crellin could be loaned out elsewhere by Fleetwood before being able to cut their own loan deal short.
Gilks has done an admirable job since taking up the gloves, bringing himself back up to full fitness to take over from Crellin at the start of November, but the 38-year-old is a short-term fix and wants to get back to full-time coaching.
Evatt is happy with the veteran’s current form but admits he will be looking to bring in another keeper if the situation becomes less complicated.
“We’re always on the lookout,” he told The Bolton News. “Obviously with the salary cap and the limited numbers, it kind of depends on how the situation develops.
“But yes, of course we’re on the lookout. Matt’s done a great job for us at 38 and not played for over a year. It’s a credit to himself and a credit to the football club what he’s done. He can do it and he can continue because he’s shown he can make big saves for us.
“Do we need to look to bring more players into the squad in general? Yes, of course we do.”
Wanderers are confident they can land a new striker towards the end of the transfer window and Evatt has not ruled out moving on peripheral players to make space in the quota for more signings.
On Tuesday night, the Bolton boss was able to look to his bench and bring on Ali Crawford and Arthur Gnahoua to get his side back into the game. But he has also seen plans disrupted in the last few days as Luton Town recalled Peter Kioso and new loan signing Declan John picked up a minor hamstring injury, keeping him out for a fortnight.
With that in mind, he is keen to ensure he has plenty of options by the end of the window.
“We went from having Peter and Declan fit to play at Exeter and then within the space of a day losing them both, so that’s what can happen in football,” he said.
“You have to make sure you have cover and, luckily for us, we had Harry Brockbank and Gethin Jones, who both did a great job.
“Football changes really quickly but we just have to have the ammunition to be able to change it.”
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