Bolton Wanderers Looking for loan help in the midfield

David Pye is reporting today that Bolton Wanderers are anxious to add to their midfield upon the opening of the loan window this week.  The Bolton News piece identifies Crystal Palace midfielder Owen Garvan as the target.  Now, many of you may be surprised by this news, considering that central midfield is Wanderers' deepest position, and that the squad is desperate for reinforcements up front.  Fair enough.

Bolton already have central midfielders Jay Spearing, Medo Kamara, and Darren Pratley on the books and playing often.  Liam Trotter is going to be out with injury the next couple of months.  Mark Davies is perpetually out with injury, although reports are that he is coming back soon.  Neil Danns is nominally a central midfielder, although he mostly plays wide in Dougie Freedman's various formations.  Speaking of Freedman, the manager does not seem to rate young Josh Vela, and the lad is likely to go out on loan himself, if rumors are to be believed.  Stu Holden is still in California, and technically not under contract to Bolton.

So, maybe some central midfield help is needed at the Macron.  Garvan played in Crystal Palace's Capital One Cup match against Walsall, which Palace won 3-0.  But the Irish international was left off the club's 25-man squad list for the Premier League, so a loan move seems likely.  He is 26 years old, and spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall FC, where he made 13 appearances.  While by no means prolific, Garvan does chip in with the occasional goal.  He has scored 10 for Palace in 77 appearances, 64 of them starts.

Bolton actually tried to sign Garvan over the summer, but he wanted to take a shot at top flight football, and who could blame him?  That now appears to be a dream deferred, and Freedman is ready to offer an alternative.