Bolton Wanderers to axe £1.3m flop - Blackpool, Reading FC & Wycombe must react | OneFootball

Joel Randall's time at Bolton may be coming to an end, and these three sides should be in for him

Bolton Wanderers are gearing up for a squad refresh as they prepare for their first Championship campaign after seven years away next season.

The Trotters will be on the hunt to bolster their squad and add quality, and with that comes the need to offload players who Steven Schumacher will feel aren't up to the standard required to play in the second tier.

Captain George Johnston and Jordi Osei-Tutu, two prominent players in their promotion run last season, weren't offered new deals this summer, outlining how ruthless Bolton may be when it comes to improving the squad this summer.

Therefore, it'll be difficult for those who spent time on loan away from the club while they were in League One to re-establish themselves in the fold ahead of the new season in the division above.

Bolton are reportedly listening to offers for Joel Randall, who spent the latter half of the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Blackpool, just a year on from signing for £1.3 million from Peterborough United.

The 26-year-old wasn't a Schumacher signing and struggled heavily under the Bolton boss, but before then, he'd made 24 goal contributions in 61 third-tier games across a season and a half at London Road, so clearly has the qualities to make him a solid signing for these League One clubs.

Blackpool

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Arguably, the most obvious destination of the lot is Blackpool, where Randall spent the latter half of last season on loan.

The 26-year-old has an admirer in Ian Evatt, who signed him for Bolton in January 2025, just a week before he was sacked, and then signed him again during his first transfer window at Bloomfield Road.

Randall actually flattered to deceive during his short-term spell at Blackpool, only starting three times during the second half of the season, and he was an unused substitute on five separate occasions.

However, with a full pre-season ahead of him, Evatt will be ready to put his stamp on things more with the Tangerines, and that could include signing the attacking midfielder permanently and giving him an increased role in the team.

Randall could still have a big impact on a promotion push if he's settled at the club, too, which he arguably wasn't during his short-term spell with the club, battling against relegation immediately upon his arrival.

Reading FC

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There may be some midfield movement at Reading this summer, with it being reported in the wake of the season ending that Charlie Savage could be on the way out, as the former Manchester United youth prospect enters the final year of his Royals contract.

Those murmurs haven't gone away as the summer has progressed, either, with Cardiff City, Lincoln City and Derby County also credited with interest in the 23-year-old, who, at his best, contributed 14 goals in League One during the 2024/25 campaign.

His numbers halved this past season, but that hasn't dimmed the interest in him, as Lewis Wing took on a more crucial role in the Reading side.

So, Leam Richardson could be on the hunt for a new partner to complement Wing, and he could turn to Randall to replace Savage this summer.

The 26-year-old can still be a strong option for a top League One side in a creative midfield role, and if Reading can bring out more of what we saw from Randall a couple of years ago, they could be in good standing to make a profit on the midfielder in the future, too.

Wycombe Wanderers

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And finally, Wycombe Wanderers will definitely be on the lookout for a new number 10 this summer, after both Cauley Woodrow and Luke Harris left the Chairboys at the end of the season following the culmination of their loan spells.

Michael Duff's side struggled at times to finish off chances last season, with Fred Onyedinma being the only player to hit double-digit goals.

So, adding a better creative outlet to set up chances for whoever will be leading the line next season, as well as being able to finish off chances himself, is a must for Wycombe this summer, and Randall could fit that bill.

Adam Phillips was key in Duff's Barnsley side, who made the play-off final in the 2022/23 campaign, and if the Bolton man can get back to his best, he could easily be that 15-20 goal involvement attacking midfielder who could fire the Chairboys back into the top six.