From MK Dons to Bolton via Gent: Max Dean could be a fan favourite for the Championship club | OneFootball

Max Dean looks set for a return to English football. The former MK Dons man will likely leave Gent for Bolton in the coming days, bringing to an end a two year spell in Belgian football. Injuries have certainly hampered Dean’s impact on Gent, but when he played, he certainly made himself known to the Gent faithful and fans of their opponents. The 22-year-old will be a loss for Gent, while Bolton fans should be excited about receiving a player who is certainly one that you love to have on your side and hate to play against.

Dean leaves Belgium having scored 20 goals for Gent in just 56 games, a pretty prolific return for a young English forward who entered the Belgian Pro League having spent his first years at senior level in League 2. There he had scored 19 goals in 34 games for MK Dons, but there was no guarantee that the former Leeds Untied youngster would be able to adapt to the higher quality of the Belgian Pro League.

During his first season, Dean certainly adapted and even thrived. In 30 games he scored 13 goals and provided two assists with injuries curtailing what could have been a really explosive season. Dean plays on the edge, more than happy to rile up opposition fans and players. This certainly endeared him to the Gent faithful, while also meaning he copped plenty of abuse from the other fan bases. Yet it was this attitude and desire to win that made you feel that Dean was always going to succeed. It is also why Bolton fans should be confident that he will have an impact for them on their return to the Championship.

What’s more, Dean swaps one physical league for another. The Pro League is more physical than most European leagues, which lends itself well to adapting to the English game, although Dean obviously already has some experience there. However, prolific strikers in Belgium have struggled in England in recent years. Dean’s final year in Belgium saw him play just 24 games with seven goals. It is a shame that Gent never quite got a full season out of the 22-year-old, as it could have really raised his price tag back home in England.

For the player himself, hopefully it shows the value in leaving England and trying your hand at a different league. Gent gave Dean a chance to do that, and he has managed to turn that into a move to the Championship after just two seasons.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson