Portsmouth rivals Bolton excited by summer transfer plans as Charlton boss gets owner's backing

With just one more fixture left in Pompey’s 2023-24 League One season, focus will be turning towards the summer transfer market. John Mousinho and sporting director Richard Hughes will have already begun proceedings to determine where the squad needs strengthening, but they’re not the only ones waiting for the summer transfer window to open up in June.

Ahead of Pompey’s final match of the season against Lincoln, here is the latest top news from around the division.

Bolton to target foreign stars

Bolton have opened up on their summer transfer plans despite not knowing yet which division they will be playing in next season.

Wanderers, who travel to Peterborough on Saturday, currently sit third in League One - three points behind second-placed Derby County. They will be relying on the Rams to slip up at home to Carlisle if they are to achieve automatic promotion alongside Pompey.

If unsuccessful, Ian Evatt’s side will then go through the play-offs in the hope of joining the Blues and Rams in next year’s Championship. That could add another three games into their season and put them at a disadvantage with their rivals in terms of recruitment. However, Evatt has faith in the structure currently in place for summer strengthening.

This season, Bolton have welcomed input from data advisors, Ludanautics - a company set up by former Liverpool director of research Ian Graham - to sporting director Chris Markham’s recruitment process. And that has opened up the potential of bringing in more players from abroad.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Evatt said: ‘There have been a lot of different scenarios we have had to plan for, and Chris, in particular, is doing well keeping my head clear for what is important. I have a huge amount of trust in him and in the Ludonautics team working together behind the scenes.

‘They are looking to give us the best possible options, regardless of how this season ends. If you look at our squad now and the value of it, I would say the value of the whole thing has increased tenfold, so I think largely we are getting it right and I trust that we will get it right again in the summer.

‘The team (Chris) built, and Ludonautics are now adding to that as well, there are lots of exciting things happening behind the scenes in terms of overseas recruitment and the work that is going on there, which won’t be ready until the summer.’

He added: ‘I genuinely think this is an exciting time for Bolton Wanderers. We have got this club into the position where it is really ready to take off again. There is a lot of hard work that has gone into that and we shouldn’t ignore that. I think sometimes when you are involved in a promotion fight and everyone wants it so much you can lose sight a little bit of what has already been achieved.

‘It is important that we look at that with pride. You even look at the Portsmouth game, I walked away from that just so proud of our football club. I know we didn’t win the game – and I desperately wish we had – but to see a crowd like that, a game of that magnitude, from where we have come from, it is something that should be celebrated.’

Charlton boss receives backing ahead of big summer

Charlton boss Nathan Jones has backing from the club’s owners to build a team fit for promotion next season.

The Addicks, who are unbeaten in 14 games under the former Luton and Southampton boss’ guidance, are 16th in the table heading into the final day of the season - after previously being part of a relgation battle before the Welshman’s arrival in February.

Jones revealed this week that, with the support of the Valley owners, Charlton can compete for League One promotion next season and return to the Championship for the 2025-26 campaign. And it seems that marries in with the club’s ambitions.

Co-owner Charlie Methven said: ‘Our aspirations as an ownership group are to see the squad improve on a constant basis – whether that be through recruitment, coaching or improved fitness levels. The technical department and manager have come to us, as an ownership group, telling us what they think needs to be done to the team in the summer, in order to engender what we all want next season – which is a big promotion push.

‘We had very productive meetings on that last week with the ownership group, who were very, very clear that they want to back the manager in his aspiration.’