League Two star signs: How Bolton Wanderers’ dream January transfer window looks | OneFootball

Both Joel Randall and John McAtee leaving and Kelly N'Mai and Armando Dobra joining would be an ideal January transfer window for Bolton Wanderers.

Bolton Wanderers revamped their squad over the summer with the Trotters bringing in 14 new signings and allowing several previously key first-teamers to depart, leaving Steven Schumacher with very few excuses heading into the campaign.

Performances were strong at the start of the season but a remarkable run of five 1-1 draws in four matches towards the start of the campaign left Wanderers needing to play a bit of catch up to get to where they wanted to be.

The results have now begun to come and there is perhaps some surprise at just how quickly Schumacher is getting his Bolton side to gel, playing a different system and a new style from what went before for the last half a decade or so.

That, combined with League One appearing slightly weaker at the top end of the table in comparison to recent seasons, has now left Bolton in a position where they are, once again, legitimate third tier title contenders.

The squad that they named to the EFL was full at the end of the summer transfer window, but it would be no surprise to see some maneuvering in the January transfer window in order for Bolton to sustain their tilt at the top.

FLW has looked at what would be an ideal transfer window this winter for the Whites, both in terms of outgoings and incomings.

Out: John McAtee

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Walkden-born John McAtee was brought in to much fanfare in the summer of 2024 but, despite hitting double figures for goals in League One, was immensely frustrating for Bolton supporters last season.

Over the summer, he said he wanted to become an out-and-out attacking midfielder, more suited to playing in the so-called ‘number 10’ position in Schumacher’s 4-2-3-1 shape.

However, after playing that role for about an hour on the opening day of the campaign against Stockport County, the former Barnsley man has been on the periphery and, despite a reasonable performance against Oldham Athletic in the EFL Trophy recently, a departure would seem the best solution for all parties.

There was talk of Barnsley trying to re-sign McAtee towards the end of the summer window, but Bolton held on to the one-time National League wonderkid.

There is a sense his days are numbered though at his hometown club.

Out: Joel Randall

A victim of frustrating and peculiar circumstances, Joel Randall is another player brought in for a hefty fee that has failed to live up to any sort of reputation in the attacking midfield role.

A long-term target for Ian Evatt and Bolton, Evatt left the club about a week or so after Randall signed from Peterborough United in January and the 26-year-old has failed to make much of an impact in Lancashire.

Clearly an intelligent footballer, his ideal game of making runs off the ball and finding space to hurt the opposition just appears to be a bit unhelpful in a side that play an already direct way with players, such as Thierry Gale on the left or Marcus Forss as a second striker, that perhaps do that job with a bit more effectiveness.

Wanderers will want a more ball-dominant, controlling presence in the attacking midfield role moving forward and Randall, who has never seemed to be at home in Bolton, may well benefit from a departure, be it permanently or on loan, in January.

In: Kelly N’Mai, Salford City

In the summer, it was reported that Bolton had a bid rejected for Salford City’s 2024/25 Player of the Season Kelly N’Mai, amid interest from Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Preston North End.

The fact that Boro and Preston are now involved in a promotion challenge to the Premier League and N’Mai’s personal season not necessarily a groundbreaking or glittering one thus far may mean the competition for his signature is not as fierce as it may have been in the summer when Karl Robinson said he would have rejected offers as high as £1 million for the Dutchman.

Bolton brought in plenty of wingers in the summer, such as Gale as well as N’Mai’s compatriot Ibrahim Cissoko, Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry and Charlie Warren from Felixstowe and Walton United.

However, the stunted development of Warren, indifferent performances of Cissoko, injuries to Gale and departures of both Carlos Mendes Gomes and Szabolcs Schon has left Bolton still a bit short out-wide, with full-back Jordi Osei-Tutu often having to play out of position to fill in on the left flank.

As a result, it would be no surprise to see Wanderers target another winger, and returning for N’Mai in a potentially opportunistic manner with his value slightly decreased, but the promise of his quality still very real, could be a sensible, smart and still ambitious option.

In: Armando Dobra, Chesterfield

Towards the end of the summer, Bolton were one of a number of League One clubs, as well as some Championship sides, to have been linked with a move for Chesterfield attacker Armando Dobra.

The former Albania youth international, who came through the academy at Ipswich Town, is again another realistic option and, again, someone who may well have seen stock slightly decrease due to that transfer talk being followed by an inconsistent start to the season.

His quality and ability remains without question, though, and he would be a smart pickup for any upwardly mobile League One side and, particularly, Bolton, given his positional versatility.

A ‘number 10’ for the Spireites primarily, Dobra would be able to slot perfectly into the creative midfield role behind Mason Burstow in the 4-2-3-1 system for the Whites, but also has the attributes and experience of playing out-wide should he be required, providing a brilliant option either from the start or off the bench for Bolton.

Steven Schumacher would be building from a strong position in January, but there are areas of improvement and getting more goal involvements and contributions from more of his attackers will be key.

Bringing in N’Mai and Dobra, whilst allowing the underperforming Randall and McAtee to depart, could be what propels Bolton, finally, back into the Championship.