AFTER granting Xavier Amaechi a rare appearance at Wanderers, Ian Evatt has discussed the possibility of him returning to the University of Bolton Stadium.

The former Arsenal winger started only his third game for the Whites in Monday’s 3-1 win against Accrington Stanley.

Amaechi joined the club on loan from Hamburg in the summer and extended the deal in January – but a fractured foot sustained in January left him largely in the margins of the first team squad.

He lasted just over an hour against Stanley and Evatt was pleased to get him some long awaited game time.

“I thought he did okay,” Evatt said. “We started 4-2-3-1 with Dapo and Xav in their natural positions but we couldn’t play and figure out a way to play through the press because they were so man for man.

“We changed to 3-5-2 then and Xav had to go wing-back. He fatigued because he hasn’t played a lot of football, but I thought he did okay. I’m pleased for him that we managed to get him a game and a start and he’s not let himself down.”

Amaechi is looking for a way back into English football, having struggled in Germany since his £2.3million move to Hamburg from Arsenal in 2019.

And while it would be a surprise to see Bolton take up an option on a permanent move for the winger, Evatt says he has already made progress on deals to be concluded this summer.

"We don't know," he said, asked about a potential return for Amaechi. "We are looking at things all the time.

“We have certainly started to make plans and there are conversations happening behind the scenes.

"We don’t feel like we’re a million miles away once we get everyone fit and available but of course we need to improve because as much as we feel like we’ve had a good season, it’s not been good enough.

“To get to those top spots, we have to catch up I think 20-odd points so that’s where we must make it up and that means looking at everything and everybody and trying to improve.”

Wanderers’ reserves completed their season with a 1-1 draw at Walsall yesterday at Birmingham County FA headquarters. Finlay Lockett scored the Whites’ goal, his first since returning from long-term injury.