We would want money for Afollayan, and we dont need to sell

Bolton boss responds to Cardiff transfer links

"We would want money for Afollayan, and we dont need to sell."


Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has responded following links between Cardiff City and their star attacker Dapo Afolayan.

Reports of interest in Afolayan, first reported by Bolton News, have been played down , with the player under contract at Bolton under 2024 and would be requiring a transfer fee. Evatt said he is under no pressure to sell and hopes Afolayan, along with Ricardo Santos who has also been courted by clubs higher up the leagues, will be at the club next term.

“We don’t have to sell – and it doesn’t matter how much money clubs come to offer us, I will make the decision based on what is best for Bolton Wanderers," he told the Manchester Evening News. "I am under no pressure from Sharon or the board to sell players to get money back in. We don’t need it and we’re in a great financial position now, that pressure has gone away.

“But anyone who says that some players don’t have a price knows it is nonsense. Everyone has a price and it is that tipping point or trade off when you look at the player we want and then what we can do with the club in general, not just the team, there would be a point where it evens out and we would have to make a call.

“For now, though, we want to keep all of our assets on the pitch. We have improved them, whether it is Rico or Dapo. Dapo was in West Ham’s Under-23s and couldn’t really get an opportunity. Rico has admitted himself he was playing for Barnet and probably two weeks away from becoming an Amazon driver, look how his world has changed?

“We appreciate everything those players have done for us and of course there will be clubs interested in signing them. But what I will say is that the grass is not always greener. It is also what this club, the staff and this fanbase have done for the players as well, so it is a trade-off.

“We will do what we can within our means to keep hold of those players, but if we get offered stupid money and we can do amazing things with it, not just with the team but the whole club, then we may look at it.

"But I stress, whoever that is must have deep pockets because Sharon and the board have put us in an amazing position. We’re under no pressure to sell anybody."

Evatt, who insisted the players were happy at the League One club, added: “Obviously there will be other teams who watch them and want to take them but that just means we are doing the right things as managers and coaches. We want people to look at our players and be envious. Long may that continue and whoever comes knocking, I hope they have deep pockets.”