Bolton Wanderers Midfielder Targeted As Replacement For £25m Star

Championship side Bristol City are considering a move for Bolton Wanderers midfielder George Thomason, amid Alex Scott’s impending departure to the Premier League, reports Bristol Live.

Scott is poised for a move to Bournemouth in a deal worth £25 million, having undergone a medical at the Vitality Stadium.

The 19-year-old’s departure is a huge blow to the Robins, who are set to lose one of the brightest young talents in the country, but the Championship side are confident of filling the creative void this summer.

Jason Knight, who scored a brace against Oxford United in the Carabao Cup first round, and captain Andreas Weimann are set to operate in a more advanced role, leaving Nigel Pearson’s side light in the middle of the park.

Bolton’s 22-year-old George Thomason has now been identified as the man for that role, having established himself as an increasingly important cog in Ian Evatt’s side in recent seasons.

Joining from non-league side Longridge Town in 2020, the Cumbrian was named the club’s Young Player of the Year in 2021, and despite a dislocated knee disrupting his campaign in the 2022/23 season, the former Blackpool youth player has been rewarded with a contract until the summer of 2025.

The Trotters may therefore demand a significant fee for the young talent, who came off the bench in their 3-0 victory over Lincoln City on the opening day of the League One season.

His potential suitors have already spent just under £5 million on Rob Dickie, Ross McCrorie and Knight this window, but at least some of the windfall from Scott’s departure appears to have been made available to the former Leicester City boss.

Writer’s View

Whilst Bolton will not want to see one of their emerging talents depart the club, the League One promotion contenders could be set to receive a huge sum of money from the Championship club.

They are under no pressure to sell with two years remaining on Thomason’s current deal, and with the knowledge of the impending £25 million deal for Alex Scott, Ian Evatt’s side could drive a hard bargain to allow the midfielder to part the ToughSheet Community Stadium.

The 22-year-old midfielder joined Bolton in 2020 from non-league Longridge Town, and he has gone on to make over 70 appearances for the club since, which includes helping them to promotion from League Two.

Whilst injuries have halted his progress, Thomason is back fully fit and has featured in Bolton’s two games so far this season.

And, it appears he could be on the move this summer, as Bristol Live revealed that he is on the radar of the Robins, who would obviously be able to offer the player Championship football.

The big news for Bristol City all summer has been the future of Alex Scott. The England youth international has been outstanding for Nigel Pearson’s side over the past two years, and he particularly excelled last time out, with Scott named as the Young Player of the Year in the Championship.

Therefore, a summer departure has always been a possibility, and it was finally confirmed that Bournemouth had won the race for the teenager, in a deal that could be worth up to £25m.

Naturally, you would think the club will be in the market for a replacement, and with Thomason a midfielder, he may be viewed as Scott’s successor.

But, the reality is that he’s a different type of player. Firstly, it’s going to be near impossible for Bristol City to get someone with the same skill-set of Scott, which is why he has gone for £25m to the Premier League.

Yet, the middle of the park is an area that needs addressing, and Thomason has a good all-round game that should make him a good fit for Nigel Pearson’s group.

He doesn’t have the same attacking ability as Scott though, who is brilliant at carrying the ball. Nevertheless, if this does happen, it will boost the options for Bristol City, and Thomason fits the profile of the Robins’ recent recruitment in that he is a young, hungry player with the potential to get even better.

However, Bolton are an ambitious club who want to be playing in the Championship next season themselves, so they won’t cash in on the cheap.

The Championship side will have known for some time that there was a very real possibility Scott would move on this summer, and it seemed it enabled them to spend early in the window.

You would think the bulk of the business at Ashton Gate has been concluded already, with Pearson and the recruitment team making some smart additions, as the likes of Rob Dickie and Ross McCrorie joined the club. But, Scott’s exit does seem as though it will trigger one or two more deals, which is why they are looking at Thomason.

Like many clubs in the second tier, Bristol City will be wary of what they spend after posting significant losses in the past, so they aren’t going to be splashing the cash now.