Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Cardiff City chasing Bolton Wanderers transfer raid | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers forward John McAtee is a wanted man this summer amid emerging interest from Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City

The summer transfer window is heating up as we head towards the final stages and, in a new development, it has been reported that Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City are all in a multi-club race to sign Bolton Wanderers forward John McAtee before the month is up.

Wednesday have been among the EFL's busiest clubs by measure of transfer activity following David Storch's long-awaited takeover in May, which has licensed a seismic rebuilding process both on and off-the-pitch under Henrik Pedersen - who could yet sanction further incomings in the remainder of the window.

The Owls will, however, face no shortage of competition in their efforts to land McAtee, who has emerged as a target for a host of rival sides after helping Bolton gain promotion via the League One play-offs at the end of the previous season.

With Charlton and Cardiff also among those in the race for the Trotters starlet's signature, an interesting new saga could just be about to break in the dying embers of this summer's window.

Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Cardiff City in Bolton Wanderers, John McAtee transfer race

This latest update comes courtesy of a report from the Daily Mail, which has linked a number of EFL sides to McAtee's services in a surprise new twist.

As per the report, McAtee is attracting interest from various Championship sides and both Charlton and Cardiff have lodged enquiries alongside Lincoln City, who won the League One title last time out to gain promotion with the Bluebirds and Bolton.

Wednesday, though, have displayed an impressive level of ambition this summer after coming under fresh ownership, and are also said to have enquired over McAtee's availability in an effort to convince the 27-year-old to drop back down to the third-tier.

Bolton's stance on the versatile attacker's future remains unclear, as does the amount of money required in order for the freshly-promoted Trotters to sanction a sale.

Despite enduring a mixed individual campaign as Bolton achieved promotion through the play-offs, McAtee started his side's opening fixture against Preston North End on Saturday and was influential in both goals - meaning it's very up in the air as to whether Steven Schumacher would let him leave with little time remaining to source a replacement.

Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton and Cardiff City have had mixed windows amid Bolton, John McAtee transfer hunt

Of these three sides, it's likely to be Wednesday who are most pleased with their business throughout the summer months at this moment in time and that feeling would only be amplified if they can add McAtee to Pedersen's ever-bolstering ranks.

As aforementioned, Wednesday have been undertaking a squad rebuild that was only too necessary following a nightmareish relegation from the Championship, in which Pedersen had to make do with a makeshift, threadbare outfit composed primarily of untested academy graduates and, eventually, a series of loan additions.

No fewer than 13 players have arrived at Hillsborough in recent times, notably including the likes of Louie Barry, Mason Burstow, Harry Gray, Callum Slattery alongside Barry Bannan's emotional homecoming months on from his departure for Millwall.

Charlton have been active in their own right, with Nathan Jones bringing in seven fresh faces after keeping the Addicks in the Championship last season. Millenic Alli, Karlan Grant, Billy Koumetio are among the south Londoners' more eye-catching additions, although a player of McAtee's quality and creativity would likely be much-welcomed at the Valley this summer.

As for Cardiff, it has been a rather quiet summer window following promotion from the third-tier at the first time of asking, with Lincoln promotion hero Jack Moylan representing the only fresh face in Barry-Murphy's squad amid deals to re-sign both Nathan Trott and Calum Scanlon after the pair - to varying degrees - helped the Welsh side finish in second-place last term.

Bolton Wanderers' John McAtee would make more sense for Sheffield Wednesday or Charlton than Cardiff

McAtee's body of work in League One at both Bolton and Barnsley means that this could be yet another statement signing for Wednesday, who are hardly short of options in the final third these days but would still welcome a recent promotion-winner with consecutive double-digit goalscoring campaigns between 2023 and 2025.

The ex-Grimsby Town star was less impactful when Bolton went all the way to end their Championship absence by weighing in with just two goals and two assists from 26 appearances, although his ability at that level is undeniable and he still appears to remain in Schumacher's thinking for life in the second-tier.

Charlton supporters could be deterred by the fact that McAtee's impressive showing against Preston was only his first-ever appearance in the division at the age of 27, although they will appreciate that further creativity and X-Factor in attacking areas is required if Jones is to keep the side afloat for a second season running.

Cardiff, however, could perhaps do without McAtee, who would only intensify what's already something of a selection headache in the number-10 role for Barry-Murphy.

The Irishman is spoiled for choice in that area of the pitch, which is where McAtee is at his best, and can call upon the likes of talismanic vice-captain Rubin Colwill and the newly-acquired Moylan alongside Cian Ashford, with the exciting 21-year-old having thrived throughout pre-season after being moved back into a more central position from the right-hand side.

Instead, Cardiff fans will argue that reinforcements in defensive midfield and on the right flank are sorely needed following the Bluebirds' well-documented transfer misses for both Jens Hjerto-Dahl and last season's loan sensation Omari Kellyman.