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Ian Evatt has hinted at a busy conclusion to the summer transfer window with possible movement in both directions before tonight’s deadline.
Though the Bolton boss maintains it would only take “crazy” money for him to part with top stars like Dion Charles, Victor Adeboyejo or Nathan Baxter, he accepts that anything could still happen with plenty of interested clubs still circling.
Wanderers have turned down a seven-figure bid this week – understood to be from a Championship club for Adeboyejo – and have fielded numerous other calls in the last few days.
At least one player will be leaving on loan today, with all signs pointing towards Dan Nlundulu, who has not yet made a first team appearance this season and has been absent from the squad for the last four games.
Another first team exit is likely, and that could in turn open up a gap for Bolton to make a loan signing. Either way, Evatt has also hinted that the free agent market is still very much a possibility once the 11pm deadline has passed.
Asked what he expected to unfold, the manager told us: “The answer I’ll have to give is that anything could happen. It is going to be busy, one way or the other. What I can’t predict is which way it will go.
“It has been a strange window. In parts it has been difficult but we’re near the end of it now. We’re still open to improving the squad but there will be one exit which will be announced, possibly two.
“We have had enquiries for players, some big money being spoken about for certain players, but we have done our best to put this club in a strong position and to protect its assets but until the window closes you never know.”
Wanderers have made eight signings in the summer window and will have to register 22 outfield players with the EFL next week. With Carlos Mendes Gomes due back ahead of schedule, the battle for available places is even more intense than previously expected.
Evatt has had to make trims he would otherwise have avoided but believes keeping his key players would mean the window has been a success.
He added: “Once we get everyone right and up to speed it is a really good squad in my view it is stronger than last season, albeit we haven’t seen the best of them yet because we are still going through that little bit of pain to get them to where we need them to be.
“I do think that is success. Some of our best players have been talked about by clubs higher up the pyramid and we have turned down one bid – the biggest since I have been at the club – for one player this week.
“We are in a strong position and we won’t be selling anyone unless it becomes crazy. I can’t sit here and say nobody is for sale because everyone has a price but nobody has met the valuation of any of our players yet, and unless they do they will be staying here.
“We have had to allow some players to leave on loan to balance things out, not just for those reasons but financially as well, I want to do right for the club. I won’t carry surplus players for the sake of it because it comes at huge cost and it becomes more challenging managing people’s expectations in terms of playing time. I think we have managed to do that and once we find some sort of equilibrium and the players we want go out on loan, the balance is there.
“That will include Carlos, who is seven or eight weeks away now and ahead of schedule, which isn’t that far away.
“He will be in the quota. We have to get him there in once piece but his rehab so far has been excellent and he is way ahead of where we thought he would be. I think post-second international break he won’t be far away.”
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