Hurdle emerges for Bolton Wanderers and Steven Schumacher in Hull City transfer pursuit | OneFootball

Steven Schumacher wants plenty of reinforcements through the door this summer.

Bolton Wanderers face European competition for Hull City defensive target Matty Jacob as Steven Schumacher looks to fill out his squad.

The different formation preferred by the scouse boss compared to that of his predecessor, Ian Evatt, made the timing of his appointment at the end of January and the months that followed quite frustrating.

Schumacher didn't have a lot of the pieces available to him that he would've liked to use in his 4-2-3-1 system because Bolton's squad had been constructed for so long with Evatt's back-three system in mind.

This summer is the former Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City boss' first proper opportunity to shape the Trotters in his image. One position that they are really short on is the left side of defence. 21-year-old Max Conway is the only obvious option available to the 41-year-old as things stand, so adding in this area has been a key target for Bolton early in the window.

Bolton face European competition for Hull City target

They are interested in signing Hull's Matty Jacob, according to the Bolton News. He struggled for game time last season under Ruben Selles and could be allowed to leave the MKM Stadium this summer.

Wanderers are not the only interested team, though. The Hull Daily Mail (9th June, page 35) has reported that three teams are keen on the 24-year-old's services, including a club from Switzerland.

Jacob has made 22 first-team appearances for the Tigers since graduating from the club's academy system. The five-foot-eleven defender also spent time with non-league side Gateshead in the 2021/22 campaign.

Matty Jacob isn't a surefire move for Bolton, on multiple fronts

Schumacher is looking to bring in a blend of players with youth and experience to suit the way that he wants to play. Bolton have already completed their first signing of the summer, snapping up former Wrexham striker Sam Dalby on a four-year deal.

Dalby certainly has a much more proven record than Jacob does. He scored 15 goals in 35 appearances during his loan spell with Dundee United last term. With the Hull defender, who Wanderers would have to pay a fee in order to sign, there's less certainty that he would be able to hit the ground running and help the club get back to their promotion-chasing days.

Jacob would almost certainly not be the only player in his position that Schumacher looks to add this summer, but that's if new Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic sanctions a move for the 24-year-old. Bolton may be forced to play a bit of a waiting game with him as the Bosnian boss combs through his Hull side and determines which pieces are needed and which can be offloaded.