Ian Evatt offers encouraging update on injury-hit Bolton attacker

Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt says he is confident that winger Xavier Amaechi can still play a part for the club this season.

Amaechi joined Bolton on loan from Hamburg back in the summer transfer window, but has since struggled with injury during his time at the League One club.

A fractured metatarsal suffered in pre-season kept the winger out of the first few months of the campaign, and he has now not played since December due to a hamstring injury.

But despite that, it seems Evatt believes the 21-year-old can still make an impression for the Trotters over the next few months.

Speaking about the situation surrounding Amaechi, Evatt told the Bolton News: “It’s been tough for him. Xav is such a good lad and is so determined that he’s even got to the point now where he’s trying to do too much.

“Every time he steps on the training pitch and when he played for the reserves the other day, it’s almost like he feels he has to do something to impress to make up for lost time.

“Sometimes simplicity is genius and he looks a better player when he keeps things simple and mixes his game up. We’ve had a chat today, he understands that.

“I still think he can affect this system as well – he can play wing-back or as a number 10, especially if we need him to attack and get some goals.

“There are still 16 games left in the season – it’s a long, long time. And he will play a part in us hopefully getting to where we want to be.”

In total, Amaechi has made eight appearances in all competitions for Bolton this season, scoring once in a 2-2 draw with Cheltenham.

Bolton are currently tenth in the League One table, 11 points adrift of the play-offs, ahead of their trip to the Kassam Stadium to face Oxford United on Saturday afternoon.

The