Bolton Wanderers players sent strong message ahead of transfer window as strengthening planned

Ian Evatt says all players at Bolton Wanderers will be given opportunities between now and the end of the season as he laid down a challenge for the squad to show they deserve to continue on their journey with the club ahead of strengthening in the summer transfer window.

Wanderers have had a good first season back in League One under Evatt after winning promotion to the division last season.

They are in the running for a top 10 finish in the third tier of English football after a late charge to make the play-offs ultimately slipped away.

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Planning is well under way behind the scenes over strengthening the squad this summer in the transfer window as Wanderers intend to challenge for promotion in the 2022/23 campaign.

There are a handful of matches now left this season and though Wanderers are in the clutch of teams who cannot be promoted or relegated, Evatt insists there is always something to play for.

The Bolton boss has told all players they must prove they deserve to be with the club next season and earn the right to be in the team, with new recruits due in the coming months.

And he is seeking a positive end to the season with the players performing to the levels he expects them to.

Evatt said: "We are always planning, we are always looking. We are always doing our homework and research. There are lots of conversations going on behind the scenes.

"There is always something to play for, regardless of if you cannot go up or down. As a player, you still have things to play for because there is another transfer window coming and this is a club going places.

"I said to them I want them to make sure they are on