6 players to follow Chris Forino out of Bolton Wanderers in 2027 ft £1m forward | OneFootball

These six players, alongside Chris Forino, face uncertain futures at Bolton after the end of the season

It's been a solid start to life back in the Championship for Bolton Wanderers, with consecutive wins before the international break lifting Steven Schumacher's side to 15th.

The ongoing three-week break presents a good opportunity for those at the Toughsheet Stadium to have a well-earned rest.

It's well-known that sides who go through the play-offs have less time to prepare, and when you partner that with the jump up to a level you haven't played at and a transfer window which saw 13 new faces arrive at the club, it's been a tiresome summer which has bled into September for the Trotters.

Because of those new signings and multiple players leaving at the end of their deals in the summer, there aren't too many at the club who are out of contract at the end of this current campaign.

Chris Forino is the most high-profile name so far, having played a key role in the second half of last season before starting the first six games of the current campaign. His three-year deal is set to run out this summer, and these six teammates could join him in leaving the club.

Samuel Iling-Junior

Action images

Of the six players whose future at the club past the end of this season is uncertain, four are players who are on loan for the campaign.

Former Juventus prospect Samuel Iling-Junior is looking to finally cement himself as a top wideman at this level, with his season-long loan deal at Bolton marking the third Championship side he's been on loan at since he moved to Aston Villa in 2024.

The 22-year-old only managed one goal in spells at Middlesbrough and West Brom in each of the past two seasons. So far this year, he's featured in all eight league games for his new club, starting five straight before coming off the bench last time out against Norwich City, picking up an assist.

Theo Bair

Action Images

Unlike some of the other loanees to come on this list, deadline-day arrival Theo Bair's deal to join Bolton from Ligue 1 outfit AJ Auxerre comes with the option of a permanent deal — so his long-term future could be a lot more straightforward.

The seven-time Canadian international has lost his way significantly since joining the French side, following a 15-goal campaign with Motherwell in the 2023/24 season.

So far at Bolton, Bair has yet to start a game, but he provided the assist for Thierry Gale's late winner against Cardiff City in his home debut for the club, something he'll hope to build on.

Kyliane Dong

Action Images

Kyliane Dong also arrives for the year with a view to making his stay from Augsburg permanent in the summer.

The 22-year-old hasn't made a senior appearance for the German top-flight outfit, spending last season on loan with Pau FC in the French second tier. In a Bolton shirt, Dong had to bide his time, but has started each of the last three league games.

He has assists in two of those three, and if he can keep that up, the buy option will seem like a no-brainer.

Ryan Hardie

Action images

And the final loanee at Bolton currently is Ryan Hardie, who reunited with his former Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher when he made the short-term move from fellow Championship side Wrexham.

It's been a really difficult 12 months for the Scotsman. He was the first signing at Wrexham last summer, following consecutive double-digit goal campaigns in the second tier for Argyle, but other signings that followed immediately pushed him down the pecking order at the Stok Cae Ras.

Injury stopped him from building some momentum on loan at Huddersfield Town last season, and now this move to Bolton almost serves as a last chance for him to recapture his form from his time in Devon.

Thus far, it's not working out, with Hardie playing just 91 minutes across six league appearances and scoring no goals.

Eoin Toal

Action Images

Club captain Eoin Toal is now one of the longest-serving current players in the Bolton squad, with this being his fifth season at the club since arriving from Derry City in 2022.

The 27-year-old enjoyed a great campaign last year, following a 2024/25 term marred by injury. He made 37 League One appearances, and only a hamstring injury kept him from captaining his side at Wembley in the play-off final win against Stockport County.

This season, after riding the bench for four straight games, Toal was brought in for the tight home defeat against West Ham United and has started the two games since. Evidently, he's an important part of the squad, and only time will tell if he's offered an extended deal.

John McAtee

Action Images

It was expected throughout the summer that John McAtee would be parting ways with Bolton, with this past transfer window acting as a good opportunity to cash in on the 27-year-old as he entered the final year of his deal.

Cardiff, Charlton Athletic, Lincoln City and Sheffield Wednesday were all credited with interest in him, but given the lack of attackers the Trotters went into the campaign with, McAtee was given an extended run in the side.

He started the first five league games, assisting on opening day against Preston North End, but has faded significantly, failing to get off the bench in the two wins before the international break.

If a departure wasn't an inevitability this past summer, it may well be at the end of this season - McAtee has struggled to really live up to the £1 million price that was paid, although he's still got time to make an impact.