Cardiff City outcast Adam Le Fondre helped Bolton Wanderers win promotion from League One after netting six times on a half-season loan.
Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson
Bolton Wanderers rallied to ensure their stay in the third tier of English football was a short one, earning promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking despite being saved from relegation as recently as November.
Yet, the work has only just begun for manager Phil Parkinson. With just ten players contracted beyond the summer, as reported by the Bolton News, ‘Parky’ has some tough decisions to make about who to keep on and who to ship off.
However, while influential key players like Jay Spearing, Felipe Morais and Player of the Season David Wheater simply must be retained, the identity of Bolton’s first summer signing should be a no-brainer.
Adam Le Fondre’s tally of six goals in 17 Championship starts since moving to the Macron on loan from Cardiff City in January is far from prolific. Yet, the Football League veteran is exactly the kind of experienced, proven player Bolton need if they are to survive their return to the Championship.
Fond of goals
Thankfully, Le Fondre seems keen on remaining in Lancashire with his contract at Cardiff expiring in the summer.
“I don’t suppose Cardiff are going to renew my contract – but obviously Bolton will be my first port of call,” Le Fondre told the Bolton News . “I came here to score goals, I did that. We got promoted and that was the main thing.
“If there is something there for me this summer I’ll sign it.”
Le Fondre may have netted just 15 times in his last 73 Championship games during middling spells at Cardiff, Wolves (below) and Wigan Athletic.
However, with Bolton badly in need of a goalscorer, and with Le Fondre available on a free, it is not a deal the club can afford to turn down. They’ll just be hoping the 30-year-old rediscovers the golden touch that made him a fans’ favourite at Reading.
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