Transfer Gossip: One in and one Out for Bolton?

It is being reported today that Bolton Wanderers are on the brink of allowing young midfielder Josh Vela to leave on loan to Notts County, whilst at the same time the club are believed to be close to agreeing a summer move for Southampton youth team captain Andy Robinson.

Robinson has featured regularly for the club's development squad and made a guest appearance for Bolton in their victory over Manchester United this pasty Monday in the Manchester Senior Cup.

The BEN have reported that Robinson has been told he will not get another contract at Southampton, and that Wanderers are now considering a move to bring him to the Reebok Stadium.

Freedman said:

"We've looked at him for a week and I think he did okay," he said. "We're looking to talk to the kid over the course of the weekend to see if we can extend that trial period, take him on loan, or other options.

"He's a good young player and he's been brought up in a fantastic system.

"He's a great talent and I've known about him for a long time because I've watched him playing in the Southampton reserves. I know all about him.

I think we're a little bit short in that area, with Medo Kamara and Jay Spearing, that kind of midfielder.

It is thought that the move for Robinson would free up space in the Bolton squad to allow Josh Vela to depart to gain some much-needed first team action.

Regarding Vela, the manager said:

"I have to think of the club and this is a chance to get Josh playing some proper league football.

"He'll be in the trenches, so let's see what he's made of.

"This decision is all about his development because if I was thinking of myself then I'd keep him around to sit in the stands, or on the bench, and try and get him games here or there.

"But where Josh is right now he needs to show he can handle games, so the best thing for our football club and for the lad himself is to get out there and see how he handles himself."

Freedman, who has praised the 20-year-old's attitude in recent weeks as he put in a string of dominant performances for Jamie Fullarton's development squad, believes he can return to figure in his first-team plans.

"When I came to the football club I'd heard great things about Josh but he's not quite fulfilled his potential.

"There are many reasons for that but the main one was that he had a knee problem that meant he couldn't train at an intensity that allowed him to play 15-20-25 games in a long season.

"That's the reason I had to go and buy Medo Kamara in that position.

"Those little injuries were just making it difficult for him but we did exactly the same thing as we did with David Wheater and pulled him out, put him on an intensive fitness programme, and he's playing fantastically well for the Under-21s now. It wasn't an easy decision to send him out."