Bolton Wanderers told to sign 'genuine threat' - but Steven Schumacher faces one transfer issue | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers have been urged to consider a permanent move for Ibrahim Cissoko this summer.

Bolton Wanderers are heading into the League One play-offs for the third time in four seasons, this time under the management of Steven Schumacher.

Having lost a semi-final to Barnsley and then a final at Wembley Stadium against Oxford United under Ian Evatt, the Trotters revamped their squad last summer.

Schumacher has managed to gel a largely new group of players together and their performances have been better than their points tally would suggest, with far too many draws and a lack of attacking efficiency in the first-half of the season undermining a tilt at the top two.

Wanderers have faltered a little bit at the crunch end once again and squandered what many believed was a strong opportunity to catch second-placed Cardiff City, whose form had deteriorrated somewhat before getting over the line and sealing automatic promotion.

However, they are heading into the play-offs with quite a few players, mainly attackers, in excellent form, and one of those is one of those new signings from last summer – Ibrahim Cissoko.

Bolton urged to consider permanent move for Ibrahim Cissoko

After joining Bolton on loan from Toulouse in August, former Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday winger Ibrahim Cissoko has experienced a mixed time of it at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

A difficult first-half of the season has seen him often in and out of the side but recent performances against Huddersfield Town and Bradford has seen his reputation within the fanbase grow.

Undeniably talented, the Dutchman scored a stunning late equaliser in Bolton's dramatic 3-3 draw at Huddersfield before producing a starring display against the Bantams, displaying the sort of quality which many felt could have ripped up the division all year long.

As a result, FLW’s Bolton Fan Pundit Liam O’Meara would not be against a permanent move for the former Netherlands youth international – but there are concerns about the potential fee.

“He’s a footballer that plays football with a smile on his face and, on form, he has won Bolton fans over so quickly.

“He looks a genuine threat. He always did have that edge but he just seems to have added a little bit of killer instinct to his game.

“Whether that be with a natural progression, better players around him because Bolton have got better as the season has gone on and he’s benefitted from that but also through the coaching and his own tenacity to not give up.

“This could have gone badly this loan but he has really made something out of it.

“£1.2 million is the reported fee and that still seems quite high.

“Would I like him back? Yes, I probably would do but I would be taking stock before I pay £1.2 million.”

Ibrahim Cissoko has lacked a cutting edge at Bolton

Cissoko’s arrival signalled the end of Carlos Mendes Gomes’ time as a first-team option at Bolton, with the former Luton Town man loaned out to Exeter City.

Cissoko has been competing for a spot with Barbados international winger Thierry Gale for much of the campaign, with the still inconsistent Gale getting the better of it for much of the season.

Corey Blackett-Taylor’s arrival in the winter pushed Cissoko further down the pecking order but the 23-year-old has shown some resilience to emerge as a key part of Schumacher’s plans once again.

Blessed with self-confidence in abundance, as highlighted by an interview in November whereby he compared his entertaining style of play to that of his idol Neymar, Cissoko moving permanently would reportedly require a fairly hefty fee of £1.2 million.

For Wanderers to make that outlay on a player, regardless of what division they end up in next season, would require some improvement in terms of sheer numbers and productivity from Cissoko – and so that has to be a deal that still hangs in the balance, despite Cissoko saying he would be keen on remaining in Lancashire.