PLAYING the “long game” in the transfer market is proving a frustrating exercise for Wanderers boss Ian Evatt.

Though he has managed to bring in four new players this summer there remain some crucial gaps to fill with just two weekends remaining until the League One campaign kicks-off at Leyton Orient.

A lengthy injury list has also stymied pre-season preparations, and though the likes of Dion Charles, Luke Southwood, Gethin Jones and Jack Iredale could make their return on Friday night when Fiorentina visit the Toughsheet Stadium, Evatt is still having to lean heavily on the B Team squad to ensure hit available players are not over-played.

The Bolton boss drew some positives in defeat against Middlesbrough on Saturday, his strongest available XI holding the Championship side comfortably for an hour. But with his key targets still frustratingly out of reach, he has warned Wanderers fans that they may have to remain patient a little longer.

“Recruitment has been hard,” he told The Bolton News. “And it has changed so much for us.

“We have gone from dealing with free transfers and loans, primarily, to trying to buy people’s best players. And, unsurprisingly, they want to hang on to them.

“We have to play the long game. It isn’t what we have been used to because normally we have the squad in place for the start of pre-season, but maybe this is another part of our evolution. I can promise we are working very hard to bring the right ones in.

“We know who we are targeting and we’re working all the time to get things done but there are anomalies, like some of the players are involved in European qualification. Teams want to hang on to their better players to try and get them that bit further into the competition they are in.

“It is tough playing the waiting game. If we didn’t have the injuries we do right now then we would still be able to field two very competitive teams and it would all feel a bit easier.

“I don’t think we should lose sight of what we saw in the first 60 minutes (against Middlesbrough) which, compared to last season’s games against Championship teams, we look a lot more competitive. It was the same against West Brom last week."

Ian Evatt is interviewed by the club's media after Saturday's gameIan Evatt is interviewed by the club's media after Saturday's game (Image: Newsquest)