It’s that time again. Wycombe Wanderers social media descended into chaos at around midday on Sunday, when Bolton Wanderers announced their heavily-rotated lineup to take on Northampton Town which didn’t include former Chairboy Aaron Morley.
His midfield colleague, John McAtee, who has also struggled for minutes this season and been linked with a move away in January was also missing from the squad, despite impressing in a cameo against Doncaster Rovers on New Year’s Day.
Immediately, people started to connect the dots that maybe Morley’s omission from Steven Schumacher’s squad had something to do with an impending transfer away from the Toughsheet Community Stadium, as it seemed strange that both of these players who were linked with moves away from the club would be left out entirely having barely featured over the festive period.
We know Wycombe remain interested in signing Morley permanently this January, that information was disclosed before the transfer window had even opened, and the player himself seems keen on the move, having spoken to Chairboys supporters when Bolton came to town before Christmas.
It’s previously been reported that a £500k valuation of the player has been set out by the Trotters, and Luton Town remained keen on adding him to their squad this month. However, that valuation may have now dropped, and there’s no concrete evidence to suggest the Hatters will re-enter the market to sign Morley this winter.
In the wake of his omission from the Bolton squad, The Quartermen consulted sources to see if there was any connection with a potential move to Wycombe, and we now understand that this is a deal that the club is pursuing this winter.
Wanderers are light when it comes their options in midfield, with Luke Leahy playing through pain, along with Ewan Henderson, Magnus Westergaard, and George Abbott all out injured. Taylor Allen became a makeshift midfielder on Sunday against AFC Wimbledon after Leahy was withdrawn, and Michael Duff will be keen to ensure he has enough bodies in the engine room by the time the trip to Northampton Town comes around.
With that in mind, the move makes sense for all parties. Bolton get a player who isn’t playing off their books, whilst Wycombe get back a fan favourite who thrived at Adams Park previously, whilst also patching the gaps in their squad left by injury.
The Quartermen were not informed if a deal was close between the two clubs, just that it was a deal that Wycombe are still pursuing this winter. One to keep an eye on in the coming days.
