Exclusive: Bolton Wanderers hijack Wigan Athletic deal for Lincoln City star | OneFootball

Bolton have hijacked Wigan Athletic's deal for Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon, FLW understands.

Bolton Wanderers have hijacked Wigan Athletic's deal for Lincoln City midfielder Ethan Erhahon, Football League World has exclusively been informed.

The Trotters endured a disappointing 24/25 season, as they missed out on a League One play-off place for the first time in two years.

However, with Steven Schumacher now preparing to lead his side into his first full season in charge at the Tougsheet Community Stadium, Wanderers have been very active in the transfer market this summer.

Indeed, Bolton have made no less than eight new signings, and now it appears that they are about to steal their ninth away from a fellow League One rival...

Bolton Wanderers hijack Wigan Athletic's deal for Lincoln City star Ethan Erhahon

It was reported this week by journalist Ben Jacobs that Lincoln City had received offers for their star midfielder Ethan Erhahon from both Swansea City and Wigan Athletic.

Jacobs also claimed that Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United had also enquired about his availability this summer, with the Imps understood to be prepared to sell the 24-year-old for what is expected to be a club-record fee.

However, Football League World has today received information that has turned this transfer saga on its head.

FLW has exclusively been informed that Bolton Wanderers have indeed hijacked Wigan Athletic's deal for Erhahon, and that he is now heading for a different part of Greater Manchester.

We've learnt that Erhahon had travelled to Wigan for talks on Thursday, but Wanderers made a late move for the Scotsman, where he has today been conducting his medical with the Trotters.

Bolton to land major transfer blow to their bitter rivals

This one is going to sting for everyone connected with Wigan Athletic.

Seeing a player, and a very good one at that in Erhahon, perform a last-minute transfer U-turn to your bitter rivals when you've had him in the building; that's one that will hurt for some time.

Bolton won't care one bit though, as having already signed Xavier Simons from Hull City, what was already a strong midfield group for Schumacher to work with is about to be significantly bolstered even further.

Wigan have at least been able to sign Callum Wright on a season-long loan deal from Plymouth Argyle to strengthen Ryan Lowe's midfield options, but with Scott Smith - a player who has made 69 league appearances for the Latics over the last two seasons - departing for Barrow, the addition of another defensive midfielder looks to be a transfer priority this summer.

As such, having seemingly come agonisingly close to getting a quality one at League One level in Erhahon, only to see him snatched away in the manner in which has happened to them, will be one that will be tough to put behind them, but put it behind them they must.