Football League World
·23 December 2024
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·23 December 2024
Ian Evatt has told Wycombe to cough up for Morley, or he will be recalled to the Trotters in January
Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt has confirmed that Aaron Morley will be recalled from his loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers in January, and won't head back to Adams Park unless they make an acceptable permanent offer.
The midfielder has been an integral part of Wycombe's success this season, offering a calm and assured passer of the ball, which has contributed to their attacking play superbly.
However, the news all Chairboys fans were dreading has been confirmed today by Evatt. The Wanderers gaffer spoke to the Bolton News today ahead of their clash with Barnsley on Boxing Day, and laid out his plan for the midfielder's future in Lancashire.
Evatt confirmed on Monday that the current temporary Wycombe star will be returning to the Toughsheet Community Stadium in January - unless the Chairboys cough up the cash.
He said: "If they [Wycombe] want to keep him, they need to make us a really significant offer.
"From our perspective, he just won't stay there on loan. We will recall him, and he will be part of our team and our squad unless they offer us an offer we think meets his valuation.
"I have told them our valuation, and now it is down to them to either meet it or not."
It's currently unknown what the Whites value Morley at, but it would be fair to assume that this valuation will have increased significantly following his success at Adams Park, where he is part of a team that is firing on all cylinders in the automatic promotion spots.
Matt Bloomfield has a big task on his hands to maintain Wycombe's electric form in the second half of the season.
Players such as Richard Kone and Tyreeq Bakinson are already being linked with moves away, and the Morley news today will come as a devastating blow.
However, just because he's being recalled doesn't mean it's the end of Morley and Wycombe's success story. As Evatt stated, he has set a valuation for the 24-year-old, which the Chairboys must now decide whether to match it or not.
Times have changed for the Buckinghamshire side, as spending fees on players was rarely possible.
Since Mikheil Lomtadze has taken over, the promotion-chasers have the financial backing to acquire more expensive targets. The club must now weigh up whether meeting the valuation is a worthy investment.
After Evatt's shock decision to allow the Bury-born man to depart in the summer, it's unclear whether Morley has any interest in playing for Bolton upon his return. The 24-year-old could be keen to force a move back to Adams Park, where he can continue to flourish.
However, until we see what unfolds first-hand, there will be plenty of speculation from both sets of supporters about Morley's future.