Home
Wanderers plan to send young talents Max Conway, Luke Matheson and Nelson Khumbeni out on loan at the start of this season.
Ian Evatt has confirmed plans for the B Team trio, who have been heavily involved in Bolton’s pre-season to date.
Wing-back’s Conway and Matheson have provided good cover for the first team whilst injuries have kept the likes of Randell Williams and Gethin Jones out of the reckoning.
Midfielder Khumbeni also grabbed a goal in Tuesday night’s 4-0 win at Chorley, impressing as a second-half substitute.
Evatt says he has already had offers for homegrown talent, Conway, who spent time on loan with Rochdale and AFC Fylde last season. He is likely to remain with Wanderers until they bring in another senior wing-back but the 20-year-old has already shown the Bolton boss he has a bright future.
“Max is doing really well and there are a lot of League Two teams ringing my phone off at the minute, so that speaks volumes for where he’s at,” he told The Bolton News.
“He looked a little bit jaded (at Chorley) because he has done an enormous amount of work in the off-season, trained intensely with us all pre-season and played in every game against good opponents. Saturday, for instance, Isiah Jones and Luke Ayling are very good footballers at that level and Max more than held his own.
“He is progressing all the time. We are trying to strengthen that area of the pitch, it isn’t a secret, but Max is doing himself no harm. Whatever happens, he is going the right way.”
Khumbeni finished last season in League Two with Morecambe and Matheson has only recently returned from a successful spell in the League of Ireland with Bohemians.
Wanderers are unlikely to be able to offer either player the regular game time they need at this stage of their career whilst trying to push for promotion to the Championship, which has led Evatt to consider another loan move at a better standard than their last.
“The plan is to move them all to higher leagues,” he said. “Nelson needs to play every week, he’s at that stage of his development now. Regular football and experience are a must, and we’ll get him a good club in League Two that will give hi the opportunity.
“Max will be at least in League Two, if not with us. It’s a bit up in the air at the moment with our recruitment still ongoing.
“Luke probably needs to go out again and get more experience. Where that will be at the moment we don’t know but we won’t be sending him just anywhere, it will be the best fit for him so that he can progress and evolve.
“I was really impressed with the younger ones at Chorley – young Sonny (Sharples-Ahmed), Ben Andreucci, Trevon Bryan on the left, young Noah (Halford). These players are getting there, not quite ready yet and they have been thrown in the deep end this season because of the injuries and lack of recruits, but they have done really well, and I am delighted for them all. The experience will do them the world of good.”
Source