Bolton Wanderers are now busy preparing behind the scenes for the fresh campaign after a successful first season back in League One.
Wanderers finished ninth in the recently concluded campaign, moving above Portsmouth on the last day of the season thanks to a 4-2 victory against Fleetwood Town. Bolton ended the season in the top 10, a fine achievement for a side promoted to the division in the 2020/21 campaign.
The focus now at Wanderers given the action on the pitch has now concluded is now upon adding reinforcements to Ian Evatt's squad. That process has already born fruit after Jack Iredale became the club's first signing of the summer.
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The defender has put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the University of Bolton Stadium. He had previously turned down the offer of a fresh contract at previous club Cambridge United, where he had spent the last two seasons.
Transfer business is sought to be done fundamentally at Wanderers before the squad returns for pre-season training in the middle of June. Bolton's squad is due to report back to the club's Lostock training base on June 17 before jetting off to Portugal a few days later for a pre-season camp.
A couple of additions Wanderers would like to make are the return of a couple of loanees which arrived at the University of Bolton Stadium in the second half of the campaign. Defender Marlon Fossey joined from Fulham and goalkeeper James Trafford signed from Manchester City.
Fossey played 16 times for Wanderers in a successful loan spell from the Cottagers and scored one goal as well as notched five assists. His time at the club in the second part of the League One campaign was curtailed early owing to a torn meniscus.
Ian Evatt has made no secret of Bolton's desire to have the wing-back returning to Wanderers this summer after his big impact in recent months. Fossey's deal at Fulham currently runs until the summer of 2023.
The Cottagers will be a Premier League club next campaign after sealing promotion back to the top flight. Marco Silva's side are planning additions in the summer to help them try to stay up in the 2022/23 season.
Wanderers have been kept abreast of Fossey's encouraging progress in his return from injury amid the chance of him returning to the Whites this summer.
And that possibility may well have been boosted by Fulham's plans this summer in the transfer market strengthen ahead of next season's Premier League. In the right-back department, where Fossey would operate at Fulham, the Cottagers have Kenny Tete and have since January had Neco Williams on loan from Liverpool.
Others in that department at the start of the season included Cyrus Christie, Steven Sessegnon and Dennis Odoi. The latter departed Fulham in the January transfer window.
The Athletic reports that five parts of the Fulham squad is being sought for strengthening this summer, including right-back. Christie is poised to leave this summer, while Fulham want to extend Williams' time at Craven Cottage, though that may depend on the Anfield's club's plans.
Sessegnon has an option on his deal which runs out this summer with talks over this to continue.
On the face of it, it appears that Fulham have plans for the area of the pitch that Fossey typically operates in with what they currently have and aim to bring in. It could in turn bode well and work in favour of a return to Bolton for the player this summer.
