Bolton Wanderers have hit a bit of inconsistency in recent weeks, with finding the back of the net a problem that Steven Schumacher is well aware of.
The Trotters are currently fifth in League One, and while they do have a buffer over those outside the play-off places, there is no denying that the sides at the top of the table are starting to build a gap to the Greater Manchester outfit.
Nevertheless, the January transfer window provides a side like Bolton with the opportunity to bring in new stars to help them in their fight for promotion, and it is vital that new faces are brought in at the Toughsheet Community Stadium before the February 2 deadline.
However, signing a striker does bring in a range of fresh concerns and one Trotters supporter believes that a certain Wrexham forward could settle in quickly under the tutelage of Schumacher – a former manager of his.
Bolton Wanderers told to sign Ryan Hardie amid goalscoring issue
Mason Burstow remains the club’s top scorer in League One this season, firing in seven goals in 27 games, yet he last found the back of the net on October 4 and his drought has now reached 16 matches.
It’s an issue that Schumacher must find a solution for, and when asked whether the Trotters need a new striker, Football League World’s Bolton Fan Pundit, Liam O’Meara, said: “I don’t know if it’s a case of urgently needing a striker, but we definitely need more goals, and that, in essence, makes you consider that part of the pitch.
“I think what hasn’t helped Mason Burstow is the fact that other people in the team haven’t necessarily chipped in. Cozier-Duberry and also Thierry Gale have seen their goals dry up. Marcus Forss didn’t necessarily continue his promising start either. So, in essence, it’s a team-wide problem in terms of scoring goals, not just the strikers.”
Liam continued: “But if you’re looking for a quick fix, that is where you should look. So, the name that we are linked with, and also the one that most Bolton fans seem to be drawn to, is Ryan Hardie at Wrexham, who has been a success with Steven Schumacher before.
“You would hope that he can get the best out of him again. Because we don’t need someone coming in, adapting to a system, learning a new system. We need someone who can come in and make a difference straight away.”
Ryan Hardie could be the difference between the Championship and League One for Bolton Wanderers
With under two weeks to go in the January transfer window, Schumacher is running out of time if he is planning to bring in another striker, and he must work quickly if he does seek a deal for a new star.
Hardie has been out-of-favour at Wrexham since signing for the club in the summer transfer window, and reuniting with the manager who helped him win promotion to the Championship with Plymouth Argyle in 2023 could be the perfect way to repeat that trick with Bolton.
He scored 13 goals in 44 games during his last campaign in the third tier, before finding the back of the net 12 times with the Greens the following season as his former club avoided relegation.
Hardie is a player who knows exactly how Schumacher likes to operate, and bringing the two back together could be the key to Bolton’s push for promotion in the second-half of the season.
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