As Wanderers fans rejoiced last night at the prospect of an eye-watering nine new signings, Stoke City supporters, meanwhile, were left disappointed as Bolton snapped up promising 20-year-old winger Thibaud Verlinden on loan from the Potters until January.
The signing was Bolton’s first in the busiest transfer deadline day in the club’s history and is arguably one of the most exciting transfers out of the nine players brought in yesterday.
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(Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
The Belgian U20 international looks to be a real asset going forwards and appears full of pace, vigour and desire to take players on and beat them.
Thibaud Verlinden has been afforded few first-team opportunities since signing for Stoke in 2015.
The winger made five appearances in the Championship last season and has played once so far this campaign before being loaned out to Bolton.
.@ThibaudVerlinde has this afternoon joined @OfficialBWFC on loan until 5th January.#SCFC 🔴⚪
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) September 2, 2019
Stoke City fans were quick to take to social media yesterday after the news broke that Verlinden was heading to the UniBol.
The Championship side currently sit bottom of the table and with the pressure mounting on manager Nathan Jones, the loan move doesn’t seem to sit well with supporters.
Why couldn’t he have had regular game time with us ffs !!
— Chris H ⚽️🔴⚪⚽️ (@Chris26H) September 2, 2019
Disgraceful. 1 point from 6 games and we don’t even give him a chance. Proved at the end of last season he has more talent than most of our squad. To send him to a team on -17 points heading for League 2 makes it even worse.
— Jack Lowe (@JackLowe10) September 2, 2019
— MrDean1863 (@MrDean1863) September 2, 2019
ffs he should be in the squad
— Adam (@AdamWoo) September 2, 2019
This is possibly the worst bit of business the club has done in a while
— maxwell (@MaxCarthy7) September 2, 2019
On the plus-side for Bolton, it appears that Thibaud Verlinden has some talent, especially with the reaction from the Stoke City supporters.
While it’s unlikely any of Bolton’s new signings, let alone Verlinden, will be playing in tonight’s EFL Trophy match, it’ll be fascinating to see just how Wanderers’ newly assembled squad will cope in the season ahead.