Marvin Sordell endured a dismall spell at Bolton Wanderers after signing for £3m in 2012 – though he’d be a far better signing these days.
With just a single game remaining in the League One season, Bolton Wanderers know that a win at home to Peterborough United on Saturday will seal their promotion back to the Championship after one season away.
However, even if Phil Parkinson’s side grab second place ahead of plucky Fleetwood Town, question marks remain over whether their squad, particularly in attack, is ready to compete in the second tier.
Joint top scorer Gary Madine has scored just 10 goals in 88 career Championship appearances while Adam Le Fondre is likely to return to Cardiff City upon the expiry of his loan spell.
Therefore, Parkinson will be all too aware that Bolton, a cash-strapped side only saved from administration last November, need to find a reliable goalscorer who fits their budget. Consequently, they should not let Marvin Sordell’s previous struggles at the Macron get in the way of signing him for a second time.
Unfinished business
Bolton brought the highly-rated 20-year-old to Lancashire from Watford for a hefty £3 million in January 2012, back when they were still a Premier League club, as reported by the BBC.
However, Sordell’s tally of four goals in 22 league appearances mean he hardly set the world alight. In fact, it’s only now, five years on, that the former England youth international is starting to find some form.
Sordell may not have scored prolifically at current club Burton Albion but his knack for important goals, including the one netted in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Leeds United, looks to have secured The Brewers a second season in the Championship.
Whether he will be around to play a part, however, remains to be seen with his contract up in the summer.
Sordell has unfinished business at Bolton, meanwhile, and their promotion could give him the ideal opportunity to exercise those ghosts. After all, he’s already played a major role in Burton’s survival fight – and he could do the same next year too.
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