SCOTT Arfield believes the core squad at Wanderers is good enough to once again challenge for promotion in League One this season.

The former Rangers midfielder is one of the four new signings already made by Ian Evatt this summer as Bolton look to get back into the Championship for the first time since 2019.

Business has slowed in recent weeks as Evatt waits for key targets to become available and for Premier League clubs to complete their pre-season tours and establish which of their younger players will be sent out on loan.

A spate of minor injuries have also thinned the options available for the last couple of friendlies, contributing to a nervous mood among Wanderers supporters with just over a fortnight to go before the start of the League One campaign.

Arfield has calmed concern that last season’s near miss at Wembley will be a factor when the Whites start up again, and he believes a reminder is due of how close they came to success.

“It is important not to lose sight of the fact you were one game, 90 minutes away from doing what you’d set out to do,” he told The Bolton News.

“If that had been achieved then everyone would have been saying ‘what an incredible season, what a great way to get promoted, what a great place to be.’ “One game shouldn’t make a difference in terms of ability.

"Obviously, it means we are playing League One football again but don’t forget this is a good team full of good players. Keep progressing and we’ll achieve what we are trying to do.”

Wanderers are far from done in the transfer market and have numerous offers out for players, some of whom will be in European competition over the next couple of days.

Bids for Luton Town's John McAtee and Brest's Karamoko Dembele have also been made, with Evatt admitting on Saturday that he had to play the "long game" to see which if the deals can be done.

The loan market is also being investigated but Bolton may have to wait until mid-August for the best options to become available, as Premier League clubs wind up their pre-season tours.

Some of Wanderers' injured players are due back for Friday's home friendly against Fiorentina, which should boost Evatt's options, but the lack of progress on the transfer front has got supporters on tenterhooks with the big kick-off so close.

At 35, and with more than 700 career appearances to his name, Arfield has experienced all this before. 

He believes he can be a positive influence in the dressing room this season, and won’t be shy of speaking up if the mood takes him.

“It’s part of my role to voice my opinion when it’s needed – sometimes it’ll be right, sometimes it’ll be wrong, but when you get older you learn your voice a bit, know when to talk and when to shut up,” he said.

“People can say what they want to say. The biggest thing is that the team grows stronger and grows together. You want a strong dressing room with lads who are all facing the right direction, sticking together, and that’s what I want to help here at Bolton.”