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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
John McDougall

Bolton Wanderers 'aware' of previous transfer-linked player ahead of AFC Wimbledon 'challenge'

Bolton Wanderers have used a cryotherapy chamber to aid their recovery ahead of this weekend's game versus AFC Wimbledon as Ian Evatt pinpointed midfielder Anthony Hartigan as among the most talented players at the Wombles.

Wanderers take on the Plough Lane side tomorrow at the University of Bolton Stadium as Evatt's side seek to bounce back from the midweek loss to Burton Albion which ended an unbeaten run of seven games.

One of the Wombles players which Evatt is well aware of is Hartigan, who was the subject of reports linking him with a move to Wanderers before the January transfer window.

READ MORE: AFC Wimbledon suffer big injury blows ahead of Bolton test as Wanderers verdict given

The Bolton boss admitted before the window that the midfielder was not on the radar to bring in last month, with Aaron Morley, Kyle Dempsey and Kieran Sadlier the midfield reinforcements brought in instead.

Hartigan has been ruled out of the clash versus Bolton after suffered a dislocated shoulder.

But Evatt pinpointed Hartigan, Ayoub Assal and Jack Rudoni, the latter duo who are suspended and doubtful for the clash respectively, as the three most talented players in the AFC Wimbledon camp as the Bolton boss expects a different game to the loss versus the Brewers.

Of Hartigan being on the radar, Evatt said: “I am aware of him, definitely. The three we think are really talented players are Hartigan, Ayoub Assal and Jack Rudoni, we reckon they have got a really bright future, and Wimbledon are a really talented team.

"They have had a bit of trouble recently but the games have been tight and they don’t concede a lot of goals. It will be a challenge, that is for sure.

“The conditions should suit us more. We tend to replace our divots here, which is nice.

“It was difficult on Tuesday night but we have to park it and move on. It wasn’t a reflection of where we are at the moment so I am looking forward to Saturday."

Owing to the windy and rainy conditions in the North West during the week brought by Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice, Wanderers have used a cryotherapy chamber to aid their recovery in this busy period of eight games in February.

And Evatt is hoping he and his players can get some training time out on the grass at Lostock today, with hopes that their home stadium will provide some shielding from the conditions on Saturday.

The Bolton boss said: “At the moment it is play-recover, play-recover and having them outside on the grass in gale force winds, you really are not going to get much quality.

“We have to make days productive and we can use visual learning for the tactical stuff and then for recovery we have used some different stuff to get some freshness back in the legs.

“The cryotherapy chamber was great and I think they have enjoyed themselves. I didn’t get much of that when I was playing – it was just here’s a magic sponge and off you trot.

“And, to be fair, we have a natural cryo chamber out there if you just walk out there in shorts. It would have the same effect. It is one of those places, Lostock, where you can get four seasons in one day. At the moment it is winter, winter, winter and winter.

“Hopefully we can get some time out there on Friday on the grass, even though I am seeing more weather warnings. Thankfully it is an enclosed stadium, so we are more guarded on Saturday."

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