Bolton Wanderers must try land Championship-proven defender for just £650k | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers should consider making a move for Oxford United defender Michal Helik following the reveal of his release clause

Bolton Wanderers are officially a Championship club once again after a seven-year hiatus from the second tier, as Steven Schumacher prepares to solidify the Trotters’ place in the division with a strong summer window.

It’s been a hectic past seven years for Bolton, who, at last, have ended their stay outside the top two divisions of English football following promotion last season.

The Greater Manchester outfit didn’t do it the easy way, defeating Bradford City over two legs in the play-off semi-finals before thrashing Stockport County 4-1 at Wembley in the final.

Since then, Bolton have confirmed the additions of David Watson from Kilmarnock, Akin Famewo from Hull City, Ben Davies from Rangers, Luca Stephenson from Liverpool, and Kyliane Dong on loan from Augsburg, as the Trotters have been one of the most active EFL clubs in the window so far this summer.

However, the decision to allow long-serving club captain George Johnston to leave on a free transfer following the end of his contract will be one of the biggest decisions they make across the next few months, as Schumacher ought to dive into League One to source a ready-made replacement with an affordable release clause coming into effect.

Bolton Wanderers should target Oxford United defender Michal Helik after his release clause has been made apparent

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Johnston, 27, made 191 appearances for Bolton during his five-year stay with the club, and has since signed for League One side Luton Town following his departure.

His exit will be felt both on and off the pitch, having captained the club back to the second tier and playing a crucial role in that success.

It goes without saying that Schumacher will need to replace him in some shape or form, as the former Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City head coach ought to pick the bones of Oxford United for Polish defender Michael Helik, after the U’s passed the Trotters on their way down to League One.

Helik, 30, first made the move to England in the summer of 2020 from Polish top-flight side Cracovia, and has gone on to make over 220 appearances in the second tier across spells with the Tykes, Huddersfield Town, and most recently Oxford.

Unfortunately for the Pole, in his six years since arriving in the country, he has been relegated from the second tier on three occasions, an unwanted record, to put it mildly, but he has often stood out in the heart of defence despite this.

According to Polish outlet goal.pl, the seven-capped Poland international has a release clause of around €750,000 (£650,000) inserted into his contract, which has come into effect following relegation.

Although his relegation record suggests Bolton ought to steer well clear of him, his underlying numbers have always been incredibly impressive, suggesting he has more often than not fallen victim to being in generally poor sides.

Last season alone, as per FotMob, Helik made 486 defensive contributions, made 73 interceptions, blocked 48 shots, and made 318 clearances, putting him at least in the 93rd percentile among defenders in the Championship across the campaign.

In the other box, his 3.85 expected goals return and 31 shots also put him firmly among the most dangerous defenders in the Championship for putting the ball in the opposition box, and with 3.68 expected assists and five big chances created emphasises his capability in both defence and attack.

For less than £1 million, with ample Championship experience, and consistently one of the best defenders in either box across the division, Helik would be an excellent pickup for Bolton this summer, and not only would he be a more than capable replacement for Johnston, he may well also be an upgrade, too.

Steven Schumacher should swoop for Michal Helik to upgrade the outgoing George Johnston

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Safety will be the minimum goal for Bolton next season following their return to the Championship, as Schumacher begins preparations for his squad for the trials and tribulations of the second tier.

The former Plymouth and Stoke boss knows what it takes to keep a side up in this division, having done so successfully with the Potters in 2024, and will be hoping for a similar fate this time around in Greater Manchester.

When it comes to experiencing a relegation battle, few know what they endure better than Helik, and though he has come out on the wrong end of the result more often than he'd have hoped, he's still an excellent defender at this level.

Finding that sort of quality and experience for such a low fee is next to impossible for Bolton, who must make a move for the Polish international before one of their rivals beats them to it.