Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt has spoken to the press this morning ahead of tomorrow's clash against Cambridge United.
Wanderers take on the U's tomorrow evening at the University of Bolton Stadium - but all attentions right now are on transfer deadline day, with the window closing at 11pm.
Bolton are seeking to sign Gillingham captain Kyle Dempsey to be their final acquisition of the window.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers transfer deadline day LIVE: Updates on final January incomings and outgoings
And Evatt has given an update on those efforts, as well as options if the Dempsey deal does not come to fruition, as well as the potential of some outgoings too.
Here's a transcript of what the Wanderers boss had to say.
On transfer window deadline day incomings...
“No, not as yet. We could be in for a long one. We’ve still not got anything agreed. We’re working hard and trying hard, we’ll see what happens.
“I’m always a glass half full kind of guy, you know that, I’m very hopeful, not expectant but positive enough.
On transfer deadline day outgoings...
“We’re not the kind of club which are going to force people out or make people feel uncomfortable, it’s just not the way we do things. We’ve been straight with people and told them their situation and where they stand, especially with the people we’re bringing in to the squad and it’s then down to them whether they choose to sit here and ride it out or to go out there and play.
“We can only provide them with options and then it’s down to them to make the decisions that they want to do. That’s just the way that football is and I’m never going to be one of those and we don’t want to be one of those that start making people train at stupid times of the day and making people train on their own - that’s just not us.
"We are going to provide options, be straight with people and tell them where they stand and then it’s down to them to make whatever call they feel which best suits them.”
On where would Kyle Dempsey fit in...
“I think with the maintenance we’ve done this month, one thing we’ve added is huge amounts of energy and I thought you saw that in and out of possession on Saturday. The intensity we played at was magnificent really and teams find it hard to cope with it and Kyle brings us that, providing it happens.
“He brings us energy, he brings us good technical ability and an understanding of this level. A young player, 26 coming into his prime years and hopefully we can see the benefit of that, but there’s lots of work to be done today and we’re hopeful that it gets over the line.”
On suggestions Bolton might be in the market for a left-back as well as a midfielder...
“Absolutely not. We’re happy with Liam (Gordon). He’s a young player that is still developing, he’s a very young player and we have to remember that, and we’re pleased with him. There’s nothing in that at all, Liam won’t be going out and we won’t be bringing anyone else in.”
On at what point today Bolton might have to move on from Dempsey...
“I think what we’ve come to the conclusion overnight is that we don’t want to make rash and rushed decisions and we’ve targeted and highlighted Kyle.
“We’ve spent a lot of time looking at Kyle and if that doesn't happen for whatever reason, it might be that that’s it and we don’t sign anyone on loan and sign a second choice so to speak.
"We’ll just wait for the summer and hopefully take him for nothing, but for now we feel like we’ve made a fair offer and we’ll see what happens and how that develops. It’s hard for me now with people that are fit and healthy and picking 11 and then picking 18 and then you’ve got Kacha to come back into that, you’ve got Lloyd Isgrove to come back into that, you’ve got Tuttey to come back into that, it’s going to be difficult.”
On whose job it is to communicate with Gillingham…
“We’ve made our best possible offer and what we feel is more than fair. To re-emphasise, what we’re trying to do here is be strategic and smart and if that fee becomes exaggerated or we feel like we’re overpaying then we’ll walk away. It’s as simple as that.
“We have to be able to do that. We’re never going to put this club at risk ever again and everything we do is with sustainability in mind so for now, we’ve made a really good offer and we’ll wait to see how that pans out.”
On being ready to go on alternatives to Dempsey if Bolton choose to do that…
“Yes and no. With where we’re at and who is becoming available and how the squad looks at the moment, we’re kind of in a position where we can afford to be over choosey, so we don’t want to take somebody for the sake of it just to make up the numbers. We want someone to come in and have a real impact and affect on our first team. We think Kyle can do that, and if it’s not Kyle, it might not be anybody else. We might just be patient and sit tight until the summer.
“All of a sudden now we’re getting a squad together which are young enough to be able to grow together, young enough to improve with improvement still in them with coaching and time, that we’ve got nailed down to contracts that we don’t have to keep going from window to window and having huge maintenance on the team. That’s the plan.
“We already know what we’re looking for and what we want in the summer. That work has already been done and that’s how it should be at football clubs having that preparation and planning.
"The only downside to that is somebody might come in with huge amounts of money and take one of your better players but what a great position to be in where it’s our decision and if someone wants to come and pay three, four, five million for one of our better players then everyone has a price and providing we reinvest in the right way that can only bode well for the football club - that’s what we’re trying to do.
“Selling players and player trading is the biggest way to create revenue for this football club, there’s no two ways about it, so that’s mine and Chris (Markham’s) job to look into that and produce assets on the pitch for Bolton Wanderers.”
