The Aberdeen attacker was heavily linked with a move to Bolton Wanderers but he appears to have set his sights on the Stadium MK.
With Bolton Wanderers desperately in need of creativity and goal threat following the January departures of Zach Clough and Sammy Ameobi, not to mention held back by financial restrictions, the chance to sign an out-of-contract attacking midfielder may have seemed like a no-brainer.
And, unsurprisingly, HITC sources told us in January that Bolton were among a trio of clubs chasing Aberdeen’s Peter Pawlett who, due to his deal expiring at the end of the season, was prepared to sign a pre-contract agreement.
However, according to the Scottish Sun, MK Dons look to have swooped in under The Trotters nose with the 26-year-old set to move to choose a move to League One in July rather than extend his stay with Aberdeen.
The publication reports that Dons boss Derek McInness was desperate to keep Pawlett despite handing him just six league starts all season – and the fact that he has been reduced to something of a back-up role north of the border could be enough to convince some Bolton fans that he wouldn’t make the grade in England.
However, the creative midfielder, who started his career on the wing, is the kind of diminutive, intelligent, versatile attacking player that Bolton have lacked in recent weeks, particularly since the loss of top scorer Clough to Nottingham Forest.
Furthermore, with Bolton restricted to free agents and loans this season, the fact that Pawlett could have signed for nothing means it would have been a relatively low risk deal.
If he slots straight into MK Dons’ side, Phil Parkinson’s promotion chasers may feel that he is one that got away.
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