Wanderers have completed the signing of Manchester City defender Luke Mbete on loan for the rest of the season.

The England Under-21 international terminated a loan deal with Huddersfield Town this afternoon to link up with Ian Evatt’s promotion-chasing side.

Mbete, a left-footed centre-half, made six appearances in the Championship this season but has largely been out of the squad since the clubs returned from the post-World Cup break.

Wanderers were in the market for a central defender after selling Will Aimson to Exeter City last week – and the fact Mbete can play on the left side may also mean he can slot into George Johnston’s position, if the ankle injury he sustained against Charlton at the weekend means he is side-lined for any length of time.

Mbete is contracted to City until 2027, having signed a new three-year deal with the club last summer. His displays in City’s academy had reportedly caught the eye of Juventus and Leeds United and also earned him a place on the first team bench in the Premier League.

He has since played for the Blues in the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup and gained his first England cap last September as a late substitute for team-mate Taylor Harwood-Bellis in a 2-0 win against Italy.

Although Mbete’s loan at Huddersfield did not go according to plan – the youngster featuring in several early-season games but failing to gain a regular start in defence – bringing him to League One level is something of a coup for Ian Evatt and his recruitment chief Chris Markham, who have cultivated a good working relationship with City in the past couple of seasons, progressing the career of goalkeeper James Trafford.

There remain question marks over the severity of the injury sustained by Johnston, or the period of time for which he may be absent, but Mbete’s pedigree may give Bolton’s supporters some re-assurance.

Mbete becomes Wanderers’ sixth signing of the January window, following Randell Williams, Shola Shoretire, Dan Nlundulu, Cameron Jerome and Victor Adeboyejo.

It remains to be seen whether there is time to bring in any more players – but Ian Evatt had said at the end of last week that he may look to add “one or two” more to his squad after Jerome and Adeboyejo.