Bolton Wanderers & Steven Schumacher could hit the jackpot if they win the race for Lincoln player | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers are said to be interested in signing Lincoln City defender Sean Roughan and the Irishman could be exactly what the Trotters need.

Bolton Wanderers are heading into a summer transfer window that is expected to be a busy one as the Trotters seek to recover from an extremely underwhelming 2024/25 campaign.

Tipped as one of the pre-season promotion favourites, Wanderers eventually finished ten points off the play-off places with just two victories and a draw in their final 11 matches of the campaign after what had been a bright, albeit unconvincing, start to the Steven Schumacher era.

Bolton have announced their retained list with former captain Ricardo Santos, vice-captain Gethin Jones and goalkeeper Nathan Baxter among those that will be departing the club this summer.

Schumacher has been forthright about the changes he wants to make to Bolton’s recruitment model, with new Sporting Director Fergal Harkin arriving this month and Plymouth Argyle’s Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson also set to join the club, according to Alan Nixon, via his Patreon.

Among other names such as Teddy Sharman-Lowe and Niall Ennis, Wanderers have been linked with a move for Lincoln City defender Sean Roughan – and the Irishman could be the ideal first summer signing.

Bolton’s need for defensive reinforcements

A couple of years ago, Bolton finished fifth in League One with the second-best defensive record in the division, only behind an Ipswich Town side that would then gain automatic promotion to the Premier League a year later.

In contrast, the 2024/25 season saw Bolton concede 70 goals in their 46 League One matches – only eight teams in the third-tier conceded more than the leaky Whites’ back-line.

Schumacher hasn’t been sure of what the best system for Wanderers to play, often switching from a back three to a back four on a game-by-game basis and that is due to generally poor squad construction.

The ability to simply keep the ball out of the net and become a more controlled side has often been lost on Wanderers of late with a demand of their defenders to be midfielders.

A loss of cohesion and quality, as well as a general stagnation of individual players, means that the high-risk game plan has not brought about mistakes and a return to basics would be required.

Roughan provides a defensive solidity and no-nonsense mindset and a playing style that is sorely lacking in a Wanderers squad that can often be far too easy or weak to play against.

Roughan’s versatility makes him stand out

That poor squad construction has meant that Bolton haven’t had an actual out-and-out left-back since the release of Declan John last summer, albeit the Wales international was often overlooked in his final season and a half at the Toughsheet Community Stadium anyway.

Youngster Max Conway is expected to form part of the first-team squad next season, having been named Crewe Alexandra’s Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season following a season on loan with the Railwaymen.

Wanderers’ lack of a left-sided defender has often led to Jack Iredale playing out of position at left wing-back and then even George Johnston having to play at centre-back when Schumacher wanted to play for a back four.

Schumacher has said he wants to recruit wingers and sign players for different systems, as opposed to what has gone before, and full-backs will be a part of that with Roughan proving diligent enough to compete alongside Conway for the left-back berth.

Covering a couple of spots with your first signing would prove to be an ideal acquisition; to do that with a highly-rated defender that also fits the no-nonsense, good defensive profile that your side has been crying out for would be hitting the jackpot if the Trotters can get Roughan over the line.