"It'd have to be north of £2m" - Bolton Wanderers urged to fend off Plymouth Argyle advances | OneFootball

The Trotters shots-stopper is reportedly being lined up to replace Michael Cooper at Home Park this summer

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 goalkeeper Nathan Baxter has emerged as a transfer target for Plymouth Argyle this summer, as the Greens prepare for life without current number one Michael Cooper.

The Pilgrims’ shot-stopper is said to have been the subject of two bids from Sheffield United over the course of the summer, although they continue to hold out for a reported £6 million for their academy graduate.

But having been left out of Wayne Rooney’s side for the Championship curtain-raiser against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, the 24-year-old’s departure could be on the cards sooner rather than later, which will leave the Devon outfit looking to fill the void between the sticks.

With The Sun journalist Alan Nixon claiming that Baxter is one of the options being considered by the Home Park hierarchy, Football League World’s Bolton fan pundit Oliver Jaques believes his side need to be doing all they can to keep hold of their glovesman for the foreseeable future.

Nathan Baxter attracts Plymouth Argyle interest as Michael Cooper, Sheffield United saga continues

Cooper made his intentions clear earlier this summer, as he was said to have rejected the chance to become the highest paid player at Argyle when the club offered him an extended contract.

That update put a number of clubs on red-alert during the summer, with the Blades the side that have ramped up their interest in recent weeks, with two offers said to have been turned away by the Greens so far.

But having been on the bench at the weekend, the signs look to be pointing towards a deal being struck in the coming weeks with the Yorkshire outfit, and if that is the case, Baxter is one of the top names on the list to replace him.

With Argyle likely to have money in the bank from the sale of one of their top talents, they will have plenty of pulling power to bring one of League One’s top performers from the previous campaign to the club.

With Baxter also having a contract that elapses next summer, Jaques believes the Trotters need to act quickly to tie him down this summer, or risk losing a key part of their promotion-chasing team.

The Wanderers fan said: “Given the fact that he only has 12 months left on his deal, I’d be looking to offer him a new deal ASAP.

“He’s only going to continue to show how good he is which is going to attract more interest, and as that contract runs down we’re less likely to get money for him.

“We have to offer him a new deal, and if he’s not entertaining that then at that point we probably would have to look to cash in and potentially reduce the asking price.

“I wouldn’t consider selling him, to even entertain anything, it'd have to be north of £2m.”

Bolton Wanderers’ may have Joel Coleman, Luke Southwood uncertainty if Nathan Baxter departs

Baxter’s influence on the Bolton side was plain for all to see last season, with his 14 clean sheets from 33 league games pivotal in the Trotters’ journey to the League One playoff final.

But the season could have ended in more success had the goalkeeper not been injured for two months of the campaign, as a run of five wins in 13 matches with Joel Coleman between the sticks ultimately proved costly in the final standings.

With Coleman being joined by former Cheltenham Town shot-stopper Luke Southwood [pictured] as a backup option this summer, Jaques remains uncertain whether the Trotters have the required quality if Baxter was to depart in the coming weeks.

The Wanderers fan continued: “I think he’s really important for us, and you could argue that his injury last season was the reason we didn’t get promoted, as you saw what having an inferior goalkeeper in Joel Coleman did to us.

“No disrespect to him, but he wasn’t the same level as Baxter, and that ultimately cost us as our form dropped off.

“I can’t comment too much on Southwood, it’s one of those I’d have to see him consistently in a Bolton shirt to have a proper comment, but I trust Evatt and the recruitment team that he is a good goalkeeper.

“But whether he is on the level of Baxter or not remains to be seen.”