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Dan Nlundulu wants to put talk of his future at Southampton to one side as he tries to make a positive contribution to Wanderers’ promotion chase.
The striker has 18 months left on his contract at St Mary’s, where he graduated the Premier League club’s academy to make 16 first team appearances before leaving to gain experience on loan.
Nlundulu’s encouraging start with the Whites has been halted by a minor hamstring problem which could keep him out of Saturday’s reunion with his former loan club Cheltenham Town, for whom he played the first half of this season.
There is no clause in the 23-year-old’s contract which would automatically enable Bolton to buy him for a set fee next summer, so Nlundulu has his sights fixed firmly on helping Ian Evatt’s side remain in play-off contention.
“I don’t want to focus too far ahead because you never know in life,” he told The Bolton News. “I’m focussing on today, the here and now. I don’t want to waste time thinking ‘am I going back to Southampton, am I going to play, am I staying here?
“I am a Bolton player right now and I want to perform for them. When the time comes to it, I’ll have that conversation with Southampton.
“I’m here to score goals and help to get this club promoted – that’s all I need to think about right now.”
Nlundulu missed victories against Forest Green and Charlton Athletic, and has now been joined in the squad by extra attacking strength in the form of Victor Adeboyejo and Cameron Jerome.
“This is my biggest challenge, 100 per cent,” he said. “It is the biggest club I have been at.
“I had my bad times at Lincoln, got injured in my first spell with Cheltenham, but after that I knew my ability, I knew what I could do, and that is why I didn’t stay there.
“I am backing myself to come here and deliver and then who knows what can happen in the summer?”
Nlundulu made 27 appearances for Cheltenham in the first half of the campaign, scoring five goals in all competitions, and feels regular football for Wade Elliott’s side helped him progress faster than ever before.
“They were really good for me,” he said. “I learned so much, even off the field and how to be a professional footballer.
“I felt like I went there as a footballer but left as a professional. They taught me a lot but I needed my next challenge, I felt like I needed more pressure, a bigger club. I feel like I am ready. I’m excited on what can happen in the future.”
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