"Pretty good signing" - Bolton Wanderers encouraged to seal Lincoln City deal | OneFootball

FLW's Bolton fan pundit has given his verdict on the club's interest in Lincoln City defender Sean Roughan.

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 are eyeing a move for Lincoln City defender Sean Roughan.

It was exclusively revealed by Football League World earlier this month that Wanderers are hoping to convince the 21-year-old Lincoln defender to join the club this summer.

Roughan is out of contract with the Imps in June, and thus is free to discuss terms with any potential new clubs, although compensation will still be owed due to his age.

The Irishman played every minute in League One this season, with Lincoln finishing 11th in the third division table.

Claim made on Sean Roughan's potential move to Bolton

When asked whether Roughan would be a good signing, FLW’s Bolton fan pundit, Liam O’Meara, claimed he could be a smart addition to the team.

He is hopeful that the youngster could add competition for game-time to the likes of George Johnston, who was sidelined for the duration of the 2023/24 season after undergoing surgery to repair a cruciate ligament injury.

“It looks a pretty good signing on paper, a very good age, he seems very, very highly regarded by Lincoln,” O’Meara told Football League World.

“It would provide very good competition in the left-sided centre-back role for George Johnston, who I don’t think has had the best season.

“He will want to look at the levels that he maybe had for us two or three seasons ago, before his injury.

“I appreciate it’s difficult to come back with an injury that serious, but I think a bit of competition will be good for him as well. It could potentially push him.

“We previously had Jack Iredale in that position, but he didn’t necessarily hit the levels that we needed there.

“So, I think it would be good for Bolton, and it could be good for George Johnston to try and push him on. We need competition in that position.”

Bolton finished eighth in the League One table under Steven Schumacher, falling 10 points shy of the play-off places.

Roughan signing would be a positive step for Bolton

Roughan’s availability last season alone was remarkable, and so his performances also stood out in the Lincoln side.

Upgrading in defence for a minimal cost would be good business, and could bolster Bolton's chances of a top six finish next year.

It was a disappointing campaign from the Wanderers, so it’s encouraging to see them potentially being proactive in the transfer market ahead of what fans will hope will be a stronger promotion push next term.

Therefore, the signing of Roughan may prove a really smart piece of business by Bolton, if they can get it done.