The Loanees: Who Should Bolton Wanderers Look to Bring Back?

As have been the case for a number of years now we are relying heavily on the loan system, with very much mixed results. Who should we look to keep on and is it realistic?

Reece Burke

Burke has spent most of the season on loan from West Ham United and has some real promise. After a frustrating start to the season where he failed to nail down a first team place he has become a regular ahead of David Wheater. He is one we should look to keep on in the hope he will continue to develop under Phil Parkinson’s watchful gaze.

Is this realistic? Maybe. Burke will likely attract interest from other Championship teams. But he has worked with Phil Parkinson a fair amount now and continues to develop under him. As such West Ham may think it is best to keep him at Bolton where he is more likely to play regularly and develop, rather than sending him to a better side where he may sit on the bench. This will also depend on whether West Ham successfully retain their Premier League status. If they go down Burke would at the very least be seen as a valuable squad player.

Antonee Robinson

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Robinson has been a revelation at Bolton Wanderers this season. He has come on leaps and bounds in terms of his defensive ability and his undeniable attacking flair. If it is possible he must be kept on.

He is though probably the least likely to be available to Wanderers. He is good enough to get games at another Championship team and I think more so than Burke would get consistent games in a better team. Everton may also want to fast track him towards their first team with Leighton Baines entering the twilight of his career. They have though been linked with Luke Shaw which may put pains to that. One key factor may be the fact that Parkinson currently prefers Andrew Taylor. If Robinson ends the season out of the first team it is far less likely Everton will let him return.

Jon Flanagan

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I get the feeling some are not impressed by him. Watching his performance against Aston Villa was interesting. He had spells where he was both off the pace and where he showed real quality, and his goal line block was immense. With a run of first team appearance though you would expect to bring out the player who made an England World Cup squad so if possible I would bring him back.

Would Liverpool send him back though? I would expect there to be a good level of interest in Flanagan this summer from the Championship and even the Premier League as managers look at a player they might feel they can put back on track. As such you would think Liverpool would look for a better deal on loan or a sale elsewhere, if they want to let him go. If though they see a future at Anfield maybe, just maybe, they will loan him back for more first team action. But I think it is highly unlikely.

Harry Charsley

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He has probably been a victim of their being so many loanees ahead of him. It is a slightly odd loan deal when you look at it now with him hardly having played, well having said that it looked odd at the time. He is a player Everton are very excited about so you get the feeling we have got him on loan too early. He is one who may be worth another punt with that in mind.

Everton could be tempted to send him back somewhere he has been before and will be able to hit the ground running quicker. But, I think they would need assurances he will get first team football, otherwise they would be better off exploring other options.

Zach Clough

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For whatever reason it has not really worked out. He has struggled to get first team minutes and recently dropped down to the development squad where I have heard he looked disinterested. If we get relegated it would be a yes, otherwise I think we should look elsewhere.

Nottingham Forest would be unlikely to loan him back to a side not playing him. It will be interesting to see if he can get back into the first team reckoning there, and I really hope that he can regain his spark somewhere.

Tyler Walker

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Another who has not really featured. He got some game time following Gary Madine’s move to Cardiff City, but Adam Le Fondre was the player who seized the opportunity for first team football not Walker. I would not bother brining him back.

Another Forest player and again I do not think they will want to send him back to sit on the bench.