Steven Schumacher has just days to solve Bolton Wanderers transfer need - McAtee and Randall need help | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers require a new so-called 'number ten' for the Whites, perhaps as a priority before a new striker.

Bolton Wanderers have experienced an extremely busy summer transfer window, and they did appear to be coming to the end in quite a satisfactory position, but another issue is continuing to become problematic for the Trotters.

This summer, as the Whites look to try and return to being one of the promotion contenders in League One, Bolton have allowed several key first-teamers to leave, such as goalkeepers Nathan Baxter and Luke Southwood, experienced defenders Ricardo Santos and Gethin Jones, club captain George Thomason and attackers Aaron Collins and Klaidi Lolos.

Schumacher had said he wanted to recruit to a different shape and the new recruitment team of new Sporting Director Fergal Harkin and new Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson have been able to bring in 12 new signings as of now.

However, their business doesn’t appear to be done just yet with a new striker still wanted and rumours of interest in Johnny Kenny of Celtic still remaining.

Despite the desire, and fairly obvious need, for another striker at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, it is perhaps the position behind that has Whites supporters crying out for change.

Bolton Wanderers need to push for a new ‘number ten’

Steven Schumacher has shifted to a 4-2-3-1 system and that has seen Ian Evatt’s large group of so-called ‘number tens’ either shifted around or sold on, like Lolos and Collins.

Scott Arfield was let go in January, and Carlos Mendes Gomes has been shifted to playing as an out-and-out winger, leaving both John McAtee and Joel Randall as Wanderers’ number ten options.

McAtee’s best work came on loan at Barnsley when he played as one of two attacking midfielders behind the striker, but the profile of players at Bolton was and is very different, and so that didn’t work last season.

He has also been used as the focal point and main attacker, but that didn’t work, and McAtee himself has said his desire is to link the game together as a ‘number ten’.

Luton Town's John Mcatee and Chiedozie Ogbene during the warm up before a match

Unlike his brother, James, now of Nottingham Forest, though, McAtee doesn’t, or at least hasn’t shown, the technical control and cunning ability to be able to dictate games from that position, and his best position remains a mystery at the age of 26.

Randall, on the other hand, is more natural for that role, but again, it does appear that the former Peterborough United man is suited to being a facilitator, rather than chief creator.

His awareness and intelligence is obvious, and his performances have certainly improved this season but, on the ball, there is again a lack of ingenuity and control, with smart runs in behind or off the ball his seeming best characteristic.

In the transitional style that Schumacher seemingly wants, with wingers pushing high and getting in behind, the centre forward is the attacking facilitator in that role, often leaving Randall to be obsolete, and then being criticised for being on the periphery or ‘going missing’ in games.

Bolton Wanderers may end up being busier than they wanted

McAtee was left out of the squad due to tactical reasons in Bolton’s recent 1-1 draw against Lincoln City at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, and so it wouldn’t be a major shock to see that become the start of a shake-up in the final third.

Szabolcs Schon is already expected to depart, and so another left-footed right-winger is likely to be required if that does indeed happen, and if McAtee leaves then a new number ten, with a more cunning and technical profile, will surely be sought after.

The arrivals of Thierry Gale and Ibrahim Cissoko this summer have knocked Mendes Gomes to third choice on the left-wing and so the former Luton Town man could also depart.

With those comings and goings, it has been clear and apparent for a while that Bolton’s priority remains to bring in another forward to compliment the likes of Mason Burstow and Sam Dalby up-front.

However, as Wanderers now race towards the end of a summer transfer window whereby they appeared settled despite the upheaval, it is now another position and issue that will be causing a headache for Schumacher, and could, definitely should, begin to take priority, and that is in finding a number ten who can stitch the obvious but disparate quality together in attack.