"I’d be devastated" - Bolton Wanderers concern raised over potential Dion Charles sale | OneFootball

Our Bolton fan pundit is worried that Dion Charles could leave the club in the new year

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Bolton Wanderers look to have turned a corner in recent weeks with some encouraging form in the lead-up to a busy winter schedule and will need to keep hold of their key men in January if they wish to maintain their challenge on the League One play-off spots.

Trotters boss Ian Evatt has come in for criticism from supporters this season after poor performances and results but will be feeling much more optimistic about his side's chances of making the top six for the third season running following some impressive showings in the last few weeks.

Wanderers have lost just two of their last 12 league games, and are unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, with striker Dion Charles as their highest scorer in the third tier so far.

The Northern Ireland international has registered seven goals and two assists in 17 appearances this term but has struggled for starts in the league as of late, with the likes of Victor Adeboyejo and Aaron Collins instead preferred by Evatt.

Charles moved to Bolton from Accrington Stanley in 2022 for a reported fee of around £320,000 and has proven himself as one of the most prolific scorers in the third tier in recent years at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

The 29-year-old bagged 21 times in 52 appearances in his first full season with the Trotters, then followed that up with 20 goals in 44 games last season as Bolton missed out on promotion in third place and then lost out to Oxford United in the play-off final.

He started this campaign as a mainstay in Evatt's starting XI but was first benched against Northampton Town at the start of October, and has only been given a chance from the off in three of Wanderers' last six outings, with one of those starts at left-wing to accomodate Aaron Collins as the main striker.

Charles will need more chances as the season goes on to justify staying at Bolton until his contract is up in 2026, and our Trotters fan pundit, Liam O'Meara, has explained his worry that the 29-year-old could leave the club in the new year due to his working relationship with boss Evatt after we asked him what his biggest fear is regarding his club in the lead up to the January window.

“The biggest fear I have heading into the January window is about Bolton potentially cashing in on Dion Charles,” Liam told FLW.

“He seems to have fallen a little bit out of favour with Ian Evatt. He’s still playing, but doesn’t really seem to be as integral to his plans as he was before.

“But I think he is essential to the way we play. His work-rate is the only kind of consistency we have in the team at the moment.

“Yes, he maybe hasn’t scored goals at the same rate as other seasons, but I’d be devastated if we were to sell him in January.”

Charles has previously been linked with a move away from Bolton

Charles' goal-scoring exploits have seen him attract transfer attention from higher-placed teams during his time with Bolton, but now he is approaching 30 years old, it remains to be seen whether he will still be of interest to second-tier sides in the January window.

TEAMtalk reported last year that both Stoke City and Watford were among a number of Championship clubs considering a move for him after his impressive first full season with Bolton, but he instead stayed and extended his deal at the club for another year until 2026.

Another impressive campaign followed, and the Belfast Telegraph claimed last December that both Swansea City and Hull City were lining up moves for Charles in the January window, with his services rated at around £5m.

Play-off heartbreak in May could have been Charles' last action for Bolton, but no particular teams were reported to be linked with a move for the Preston-born frontman over the summer until the Bolton News reported just days before the August deadline that potential interest from the Championship had refused to die down, but Wanderers hoped to keep a hold of him as Evatt dubbed him a "huge player" for the club.

Once again, he continued at the Toughsheet Community Stadium for another season, but recent developments around his lack of minutes could open up the possibility of a move to a lower-half second-tier team that needs a reliable goalscorer in the new year, which would still be a huge blow to Bolton despite his lesser impact this term.