OFFICIAL - Nathan Baxter - Two year Contract

Bolton Wanderers are delighted to secure the signing of goalkeeper Nathan Baxter on an initial two-year deal.

Baxter arrives with an excellent pedigree having been at Premier League club Chelsea since the age of eight and regarded highly as a player throughout his time in London, with FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League medals to his name.

The 24-year-old has amassed 185 appearances across valuable loan spells, most recently last season in the Championship with Hull City.

“I’m delighted to be here. After seven years of loans, this will be my first permanent move so I’m really excited”, he said.

“This is the right time for me. I’m at a good age and it will be good to feel like I’m here for the long run and not just for a loan.”

Whilst at Hull, Baxter caught the eye on several occasions, gaining plaudits in the EFL’s ‘Team of the Week’ and securing the highest save percentage in the Championship in 2021/22.

With those performances and a total of 28 appearances in the Championship, he is now eager to perform in the upper echelons of League One, and beyond, with the Whites.

“Bolton is a huge football club with a massive fan base. When I spoke to the gaffer, we both agreed that we both want to work at the top end of the game and Bolton has the ambition to get there, step-by-step.

“The size of the Club and the way it is run was a big factor for me. Working with the manager and goalkeeper coach, who have both worked high up in the game, was also important for me.”

With Baxter playing his part for Chelsea in one of the best youth teams in Europe, before gaining vital EFL appearances, the goalkeeper brings a varied catalogue of experience with him to the Toughsheet Community Stadium – and a set of attributes which was well sought after this summer.

“I had plenty of options, but I think coming to a Club where I can be number one and play at the top end of the table is what I want to be a part of. It was a very quick conversation with the gaffer as my mind was made up quite quickly.

“I’ve played with a few of the lads already at previous clubs and they have all said great things about Bolton. The first thing they all said was about the size of the Club and how good the fanbase is, so I’m really excited.”

At a relatively young 24 years of age, Baxter is already setting his sights on success for his time at Wanderers and is confident that he can stamp his authority throughout the league.

“I’ve played a lot of football at a young age and had some great experience, including in this division. I’m excited about coming here after two seasons in the league above. My aim is to be the best keeper in the league for the best team in the league.

“I can’t wait to meet all of the lads now and start day one of pre-season.”

I know these videos aren't the best way to judge a player but he looks like a good shot stopper.

Never head of him, but seems like a solid signing.

I hope he’s not the new butter fingers!

'I want to be the best' - Why Nathan Baxter signed for 'Premier League' Bolton

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Nathan Baxter could have picked up bigger wages or played football at a higher level next season – but a five-minute pep talk with Ian Evatt convinced him Bolton Wanderers was the right place to be.

After 16 years in the Chelsea fold and loan spells everywhere from Hull City to the Metropolitan Police, Baxter faced a big decision this summer on where to lay his first foundations outside of Stamford Bridge.

Israeli giants Maccabi Haifa were keen, and could offer Champions League football, and there were other offers around the Championship, including Huddersfield Town.

Wanderers boss Evatt has also turned down overtures from clubs playing in the division above – and there is a strong likelihood that those enquiries will continue in the coming weeks as the managerial merry-go-round continues to spin.

His reason for not pursuing that interest is anchored in the belief that he can fulfil his ambition with this club, under its current ownership. And that was enough for Baxter once they sat down to talk about a move.

“You look at Coventry and Luton, even going back a few years Bournemouth, and under similar managers and ownership worked their way up. Bolton is probably a bigger club than those ones,” the goalkeeper said.

“That was my conversation with the gaffer. This is a Premier League football club and it is why we are here. We have both turned down offers from the Championship to be and stay here so it is about building something.”

Baxter did his homework and knew in Matt Gilks Bolton had a goalkeeper coach who had brought out the best in James Trafford over the last 18 months.

Only a couple of years outside his own playing career, the former Blackpool and Scotland stopper is already establishing a fine reputation for working with and improving ‘modern’ keepers.

“He played at the top level. As soon as I had one conversation with Gillo and one with the gaffer I knew I wanted to come here,” Baxter said. “And to be honest, my talk with the gaffer was about five minutes of football and then we talked about the Ashes. My mind was already made up.

“I played with Dion (Charles) at Accrington and Randell at Hull. I also played with Dapo (Afolayan) and big Dan (Nlundulu) and all of them say great things. The first thing they say is ‘big club, great support.’ I’m really excited about it.”

For any goalkeeper coming to Bolton this summer, the question of mentality was an important one. James Trafford’s impact and popularity meant whoever filled the void would require both the maturity and confidence to handle inevitable comparisons and added pressures.

Baxter boasts more than 180 career appearances, has played for the last two seasons in the Championship and also boasts top-flight experience in Scotland.

On first assessment, Wanderers have landed an impressive candidate.

“I have played a lot of football. I have had a few injuries recently so the fact I played so much, so young, is huge,” Baxter said.

“I have had some great experienced. I played really well in this division a few years ago now, played in the SPL against Rangers and Celtic, so they were big experiences. I am excited about coming here having played two seasons in the division above where, when I was on the pitch, I played very well, particularly in my first season at Hull.

“I was finding that division pretty comfortable. My aim coming here is to be the best goalkeeper in the league and hopefully for the best team in the league too.”

Baxter found his last two seasons truncated by injury and will be hoping that trend does not follow him to the North West.

Unable to play for Hull from Christmas onward last year because of an ankle problem, he will link up with Wanderers for fitness testing and their training camp in Portugal feeling fresher than most.

“I think for me I missed a lot of football at the end of last season and so I haven’t really felt like I needed a break,” he told the club. “I got fit right at the end of the season. Whilst all the other lads were looking to get away on holiday I wanted the season to carry on.

“For sure I will be the most excited player on day one of pre-season. It is good we go away so soon, and being around the lads every day is going to be great.

“I’m really looking forward to starting.”

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Why Wanderers new boy Nathan Baxter cannot wait to be a permanent fixture

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Nathan Baxter is keen to lay down some roots after seven years of being a wanderer.

The goalkeeper has become Bolton’s first signing of the summer following his release at Chelsea, signing a two-year deal.

Baxter has 185 career appearances all of which were spent on loan spells away from Stamford Bridge with the likes of Hull City, Accrington Stanley and Yeovil Town.

The 24-year-old turned down the chance to play Champions League football with Maccabi Haifa and overtures from Huddersfield Town and Reading to relaunch his career in the North West.

And he is bubbling at the prospect of being Wanderers’ number one choice after so many temporary stays.

“I’m delighted to be here. After seven years of loans, this will be my first permanent move so I’m really excited,” he said.

“This is the right time for me. I’m at a good age and it will be good to feel like I’m here for the long run and not just for a loan.”

Baxter was at Chelsea from the age of eight and part of some successful youth sides who regularly competed in Europe.

He is keen to push his way back up the league with Bolton and shares Ian Evatt’s view that the club should be gunning for automatic promotion this season.

“Bolton is a huge football club with a massive fan base. When I spoke to the gaffer, we both agreed that we both want to work at the top end of the game and Bolton has the ambition to get there, step-by-step,” he said.

“The size of the club and the way it is run was a big factor for me. Working with the manager and goalkeeper coach, who have both worked high up in the game, was also important for me.

“I had plenty of options, but I think coming to a club where I can be number one and play at the top end of the table is what I want to be a part of. It was a very quick conversation with the gaffer as my mind was made up quite quickly.

“I’ve played with a few of the lads already at previous clubs and they have all said great things about Bolton. The first thing they all said was about the size of the club and how good the fanbase is, so I’m really excited.”

Baxter will travel with the squad to Portugal for a training camp at the end of the month and could be joined by Bolton-born keeper Joel Coleman, recently released at Ipswich Town, who is also in talks about a deal.

“I’ve played a lot of football at a young age and had some great experience, including in this division,” Baxter said. “I’m excited about coming here after two seasons in the league above. My aim is to be the best keeper in the league for the best team in the league.

“I can’t wait to meet all of the lads now and start day one of pre-season.”

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New player is happy to be at new club.

Astonishing. I am flabbergasted by this incredible insight into BWFC.

Until reading that article I thought players hated being at a new club and couldn't wait to slag off the manager, players and fans.

I need a lie down, the excitement is too much.

Wasting our bond money on keepers. 

Just stick a pair of gloves on the keeping coach. We need quality up front.