Ian Evatt believes Jack Iredale will offer Bolton Wanderers a different option at left wing-back to the more attacking Declan John in the upcoming campaign.
Iredale joined Wanderers over the summer on a three-year deal. He departed Cambridge United on a free transfer to join the Whites and became the club's first signing ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Iredale will offer competition in both the left hand side of central defence to George Johnston, as well as the left wing-back slot which is occupied by John. Iredale played the role for the first time in the pre-season friendly loss to Wigan Athletic over the weekend.
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Over the weekend, speculation emerged online linking National League side Wrexham with transfer interest in John this summer and suggested a bid of £500,000 was being lodged. However, Wanderers are understood to have not received a bid for the defender, who has two years left to run on his contract at the club.
Speaking before the speculation emerged, Evatt believes that Iredale will improve in the left-wing back slot with time, after having limited work with the defender in that position. John is considered the more attacking of the two options and Evatt believes it will give the Whites the ability to pick a player based on what type of contest Wanderers could face.
Evatt said: "We haven’t worked too much on him in training on that position. We’ve kept him at left centre-back and asked him to look and observe the left wing-back role and try and pick it up and I think he’ll get better with it. I think defensively there won’t be a problem.
“I just think it’s the positions in the forward areas where we need to tweak things and show him a few things, but that’s the difference between him and Declan.
“Declan is more of an out and out attacker so will be suited by certain games and challenges and Jack is a more defensive option and will give us a different look and a different set of skills for that position against opposition where Declan’s threats are probably going to be countered on bad pitches where you’re not going to be able to build through teams and play to Declan’s strengths. That’s where we need to be calm and solid and compact like Jack will give us on that left hand side.
“Jack can play left centre back as well, there’s no doubt and denying that. We’ve seen that he’s a really progressive passer, he’s very good in possession, he’s still getting to grips with what we do here. It’s a lot different to what he’s been used to in the past but I think he’s took to it really well and I think he’s going to be an important player for us this season.”
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