Bolton Wanderers allowed Adam Le Fondre to move to Australia.
Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson says Adam Le Fondre requested his move to Australian side Sydney FC last summer and it would have been difficult to stand in his way, Bolton News report.
“Adam had a good pre-season and out of the blue, completely out of the blue he said he’d been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Parkinson said.
“Adam said his family really wanted to go abroad and would I let him go?”
“I said to the chairman he wanted to leave and that it would be difficult to stand in his way. He had been a good lad for us and we respected that decision.”
Le Fondre initially joined Bolton on loan for the 2016-17 season, before making his move permanent the following the summer. He netted a total of 13 league goals during his time at the club.
With Bolton now struggling in the Championship having netted just 12 goals in 18 games, leaving the Trotters in the relegation zone, many supporters have questioned the decision to allow Le Fondre to leave.
The 31-year-old is currently enjoying a decent run of form in the A-League, netting eight goals in eight games for his new club while summer signings Clayton Donaldson and Christian Doidge have just one goal between them.
Bolton’s performances have generally been quite good, and they can count themselves unlucky not to have taken all three points from their latest outing against Millwall with the hosts equalising late on in a 1-1 draw.
But the underlying factor in their struggles is a lack of quality in the final third. Considering his form, with Le Fondre in their ranks Bolton probably wouldn’t be in the position they are now.
The January transfer window can’t come quick enough for Phil Parkinson and a new striker, whether it be a permanent deal or a loan from the Premier League, will surely be at the top of his wish-list.
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