Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford is closing in on a move to Bolton Wanderers on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 19-year-old is highly-rated at City, playing a big role in the Under-23s' Premier League 2 triumph last season and spending a lot of time around the senior team having been named on the bench on six occasions without making his debut.
Trafford has spent the first half of the current campaign at another League One club in Accrington Stanley but, despite starting the season as the No.1, has struggled for minutes after being ousted by Toby Savin.
He conceded 26 goals in his 11 appearances, with only two clean-sheets to his name, and hasn't played for Stanley since a 4-0 defeat to Burton Albion on November 23.
In a bid to increase his minutes in the second half of the season, Trafford's loan spell at Accrington has been cut short and he will instead join 16th placed Bolton.
Whites boss Ian Evatt has admitted that he wants to add another goalkeeper to his ranks after 39-year-old Matt Gilks announced he would be stepping back from playing duties and returning to his role of goalkeeper coach.
Wanderers have recalled their own promising youngster, Luke Hutchinson, from a successful loan spell at non-league side Atherton Collieries and Evatt explained he wants another stopper in to add competition to first-choice Joel Dixon.
“Matt initially came in as goalkeeper coach and because of what happened, he had to play,” Evatt told The Bolton News.
“He did very well for us. But he isn’t getting any younger and his appetite is for coaching now, so that’s the route we feel best serves him.
“He is a huge asset for the club in that department and will help all of our goalkeepers. We have some very good young ones like Luke Hutchinson, and Joel has improvement in him as well.
“We always want competition and we feel like another goalkeeper would help us in terms of competition for places.”
Dixon has come under pressure for some shaky performances of late, especially after a horrible error that proved costly in the 1-0 Papa John's Trophy defeat to Hartlepool United.
Trafford will become Bolton's fourth signing of the January window following the previous arrivals of Dion Charles, Marlon Fossey and Aaron Morley.
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