Charlton Athletic links spark questions over Bolton Wanderers’ transfer trajectory | OneFootball

Bolton Wanderers supporters may be concerned about their transfer planning over the possible signing of Charlton Athletic striker Gassan Ahadme.

Bolton Wanderers have embarked upon a major rebuild this summer and that has seen Steven Schumacher able to wheel and deal with seemingly good effectiveness as the Trotters seek to challenge for promotion in League One once again this season.

The Whites have let go of several experienced first-teamers, such as Nathan Baxter, Ricardo Santos and Gethin Jones, whilst the likes of George Thomason and Aaron Collins have been sold on to Wrexham and Milton Keynes Dons respectively.

The next month of the window is likely to still see Bolton continue to be active, with a few positions still needed to be filled in the squad even after the arrivals of Nathan Broome, Ethan Erhahon and Mason Burstow in the last week or so.

It has been generally impressive business by the club, with new Sporting Director Fergal Harkin having joined alongside new Head of Recruitment Jimmy Dickinson this summer.

However, one issue that they haven’t quite yet been able to nail down and sort out is up-front, and links to Gassan Ahadme of Charlton Athletic would suggest Wanderers have become slightly desperate.

Ahadme links to Bolton would be a slight concern for supporters

Throughout this summer, Wanderers have been chasing Celtic striker Johnny Kenny, with a £500,000 bid previously rejected and Bhoys’ boss Brendan Rodgers mulling over whether to keep the former Shamrock Rovers attacker at Parkhead or send him out on loan.

A deal has stalled in the last month, and Wanderers have become desperate for reinforcements in attack, with new signing Sam Dalby now sidelined through injury alongside Victor Adeboyejo, whilst both Klaidi Lolos and Dan Nlundulu have been told they can find new clubs, leaving B-team players David Abimbola and Daeshon Lawrence as the only options for the number nine position in pre-season.

The arrival of Burstow would slightly solve that issue, but Wanderers still remain light in attack and suggestions that Wanderers are in talks to sign Ahadme would further concern supporters about their business.

Whilst the nucleus and foundation of the squad appears to have been more or less sorted, or at least planned for, the striking position has been essentially left to last.

Whether that was by design or because of the fact their first-choice target, Kenny, has yet to arrive, if he ever does, is beside the point; it does leave Wanderers in a position where they will head into their opening day clash against Stockport County having not used a first-team striker during their pre-season.

That would suggest that they are heading towards becoming quite desperate, and Ahadme’s career thus far would lend support to the argument that he would be a desperate signing.

The 24-year-old Spain-born Morocco youth international was purchased by Charlton last summer after a reasonably impressive loan stint at Cambridge United, but he went on to make just 19 appearances for Nathan Jones’ Addicks last season.

In fact, the Norwich City academy graduate has only ever scored 29 goals in his professional career, in 111 appearances across seven different clubs.

His profile would offer an alternative style of football for Schumacher, with a more target-man approach, but it has to be said that doing a deal this season before the start of the campaign after chasing alternatives for the last few weeks, would represent a rushed and potentially ill-thought-through addition.

Bolton’s rebuild will continue this month

There is an expectation that Bolton will have to add at least one more striker to their squad, so it could well be that Ahadme is brought in to supplement others, but for the time being, that is not known and so concerns have to be raised.

As for the rest of the squad, there is a belief that Wanderers will bring in another goalkeeper after the signings of Teddy Sharman-Lowe and Nathan Broome, whilst an extra left-back is likely required, with only Max Conway the out-and-out player for that position, with Richard Taylor also capable of playing the role.

Schumacher had warned fans it may not be a major overhaul this summer due to the amount of players under contract at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, but they have instead been able to almost entirely revamp the squad.

Ahadme would represent a shift away from the previously seemingly well-detailed and proactive planning, and his signing could suggest that Bolton have panicked when it comes to putting the finishing touches on their squad for the 2025/26 season.