OFFICIAL - Dapo Afolayan signs a three year deal

Bolton Wanderers are delighted to announce that Dapo Afolayan has joined the club on a three-year deal following his departure from West Ham United.

The attacker spent the second-half of last season on loan from the Premier League side and instantly became a firm fans’ favourite.

Afolayan made 21 appearances for the Wanderers last term and scored his first goal for the club during the 4-1 victory against Crawley Town on the final day of the season.

After signing his three-year contract with the club, Afolayan told bwfc.co.uk: “I’m delighted to have made the move permanent. Since I joined on loan at the end of January, it has been amazing. For me, it’s the best thing for me to do – to keep playing regularly for a club that has embraced me.

“It was only right for me to repay that loyalty back to the club, back to the manager and the owners, and the fans as well.”

Manager Ian Evatt added: “Dapo has shown that he is a very talented young footballer.

”It’s my job to get assets on the football pitch for Bolton Wanderers and Dapo is certainly an asset.

“Hopefully we can take Dapo where he wants to go and vice versa with Dapo taking the club to where it should be.”

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Great stuff. I liked Dapo from the off. There's a lot more to come from the lad.

Fantastic signing loads of potential things are on the up.

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He ran the Crawley defence ragged and I think he could do the same to defenders in L1....Great signing!

Agree with everyone else, this is a terrific signing and statement of intent. Dapo is by no means the finished article but I’m sure under IE and the coaching staff, we’ll have a very valuable player on our hands in a year or so. Of the two potential returners, Dapo and John, Dapo would have been my preference so I’m content now even if Declan doesn’t come back. Obviously I hope he does but I think wages and moving down to L1 could be insurmountable obstacles as I can’t believe clubs further up won’t be looking at him?

So chuffed we've managed to keep hold of this lad, didn't think we'd be able to. I do think he could turn out to be really special.

Whitesince63 wrote:Agree with everyone else, this is a terrific signing and statement of intent. Dapo is by no means the finished article but I’m sure under IE and the coaching staff, we’ll have a very valuable player on our hands in a year or so. Of the two potential returners, Dapo and John, Dapo would have been my preference so I’m content now even if Declan doesn’t come back. Obviously I hope he does but I think wages and moving down to L1 could be insurmountable obstacles as I can’t believe clubs further up won’t be looking at him?

You might be right about John 63 but I think we do have a good chance for him to sign with us.

If you look at his career just before joining us on loan you might be staggered to learn he had only played just one league game since August 2019 - two years ago.

He's not been injured, just not selected.

He couldn't get into the Tier two Swansea side nor the Tier three Sunderland side where he went on loan.

He has played 21 games for us in Tier four but I don't think many Championship clubs will think much about that as a basis to give him a decent contract.

I reckon he'd be aiming for a League 1 club and one that will offer him a contract for two or more years.

We've just done that for Isgrove and a three year one for Dapo, so if there is still money left in Sharon's war chest and Evatt wants him - and it seems he does, I think he will be offered a sensible contract that should suit all parties.

I said a week or so ago that I believed both Dapo and John would sign for us based on how we threw them a career lifeline when other higher placed clubs didn't and that they both flourished in a team that are nearly all returning for next season - and where they would both be the first choice in their positions.

I think it is win-win for everyone.

No doubt we will find out soon enough one way or the other.

He has potential but he really needs to start finding an end product - ideally both goals and assists which are sadly lacking from what we've seen so far - 1 goal in 23 appearances isn't good.
He carries the ball really well but doesn't seem to go anywhere and doesn't release it soon enough for my liking.  He's 23 now but may well develop into a quality player capable of scoring and creating goals however he's not there yet and I just hope we haven't overpaid him because of the hype. If he works hard he could come good.


Anyone think Nobby had something to do with the move?

Dapo came to us on Nobby's recommendation. I think there is a lot more to come from the lad - his role seemed largely to create havoc and space and he certainly did that. He had to hit the ground running, and without the benefit of a proper pre-season. I'm looking forward to seeing what the team looks like when the season kicks off.

Great news that he's signed for 3 years, he will only get better.

Great move this. I think the lad may do very well indeed and the fact we are actually signing permanent deals rather than only loan players is a good sign for the longer term imo.