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Dapo Afolayan’s potential exit at Wanderers will not affect Ian Evatt’s recruitment strategy for January.
The Bolton boss had a video meeting yesterday to discuss his next deal, which he has described as an “exciting player” who can make a difference to the club’s promotion chase.
Afolayan’s sale is not guaranteed but has remained the topic of discussion in the Hamburg press, where Bundesliga 2 club St Pauli are now thought to be speaking directly to the player about moving to Germany.
And other accepted bids, discussed by the manager on Thursday, may yet influence the speed at which the transfer progresses.
Evatt has said he is pressing ahead regardless, with two more signings thought to be in his sights.
“For this transfer window it is not necessarily going to change my plans,” he said of the Afolayan negotiations. “The plans are the plans, and those things are already in progress.
“We don’t want it dragging on because we want to know where we are at, of course we do.
“But in terms of the other clubs and their conversations with Dapo – we have done our bit. We have accepted the offer, the right valuation at the right time for us, so what will be, will be.”
St Pauli’s head of sport, Andreas Bornemann, has already discussed his desire to sign a striker who can “play around the nine and occupy the 10 position” but some reports have already questioned the high number of existing forward players in the squad.
Wanderers are not expected to recirculate the funds raised by any potential Afolayan sale immediately but Evatt remains confident his squad will be stronger after the January window.
The Bolton boss accepts that selling on a fans’ favourite like Afolayan will not be a popular move in some people’s eyes but he has asked that fans back his judgement.
“Everyone we are trying to bring in is not only trying to inspire the group and give the group a lift but also the supporters too,” he told The Bolton News.
“We want that fear factor about us, where people know we have good players in the building. I do think we are getting that now.
“We want different options for different circumstances and I am really pleased with what we have put together. There is good value in that squad, and we will consistently look for good value in players.
“We want a high ceiling. Aaron Morley, for instance, was a wonderful bit of business last season, in my opinion, and he is excelling and improving all the time.
“Being a selling club isn’t necessarily a bad thing and we shouldn’t frown upon it. I understand the fans want as many good players in the building as we can but there has to be a balance to it all. We will continuously look at that balance and try to get the decisions right. Only time will tell if we have, or not.”
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