Only a couple of months of the season remain with the regular League One campaign set to come to a conclusion at the end of April.
The play-offs carry on in May and Bolton Wanderers are one of several teams with aspirations to be in the top six by the time the normal campaign comes to an end.
The summer transfer window may seem a while away and the January business has only recently been completed, but teams will no doubt have one eye looking ahead to recruitment in a few months' time.
READ MORE: Chances of Bolton Wanderers making Fulham Marlon Fossey loan a permanent transfer assessed
There is the potential for more than 160 players to become free agents at the end of the Championship campaign and Wanderers have already proved under Ian Evatt they are not afraid to look in the second tier of English football for new talent.
Kieran Lee departed then Championship club Sheffield Wednesday before joining Wanderers, while Declan John was previously as Swansea City and Marlon Fossey is currently on loan at Bolton from Fulham.
With that in mind, here's a look at the players who could become available on a free transfer this summer who Wanderers and other sides in League One might want to target.
Barnsley
Romal Palmer, 23 - defensive midfielder
Aapo Halme, 23 - centre-back (one-year option)
Blackpool
Keshi Anderson, 26 - winger (one-year option)
Cameron Antwi, 20 - central midfield (one-year option)
Josh Bowler, 22 - winger (one-year option)
Marvin Ekpiteta, 26 - centre-back (one-year option)
Richard Keogh, 35 - centre-back (one-year option)
Gary Madine, 31 - striker (one-year option)
Stuart Moore, 27 - goalkeeper (one-year option)
Jordan Thorniley, 25 - centre-back (one-year option)
Grant Ward, 27 - right midfield (one-year option)
Bournemouth
Jaidon Anthony, 22 - winger (one-year option)
Robbie Brady, 30 - utility
Gary Cahill, 36 - centre-back
Zeno Ibsen Rossi, 21 - centre-back (one-year option)
Jordan Zemura, 22 - left-back (one-year option)
Birmingham City
Odin Bailey, 22 - attacking midfielder (one-year option)
Jeremie Bela, 28 - winger (one-year option)
Tate Campbell, 19 - defensive midfielder
Adan George, 19 - striker (one-year option)
Renedi Masampu, 22 - left-back
Kristian Pedersen, 27 - left-back
Ryan Stirk, 21 - central midfielder (one-year option)
Connal Trueman, 25 - goalkeeper
Blackburn Rovers
Ben Brereton Diaz, 22 - striker (one-year option)
Danny Butterworth, 22 - striker
Jacob Davenport, 23 - midfielder
Bradley Johnson, 34 - midfielder
Darragh Lenihan, 27 - centre-back
Tyler Magloire, 23 - centre-back
Ryan Nyambe, 24 - right-back
Joe Rothwell, 27 - midfielder
Bristol City
Louis Britton, 20 - striker
Andy King, 33 - midfielder (one-year option)
Timm Klose, 33 - defender
Chris Martin, 33 - striker (one-year option)
Callum O’Dowda, 26 - winger (one-year option)
Danny Simpson, 34 - full-back
Cardiff City
Leandro Bacuna, 30 - midfielder
Ciaron Brown, 24 - defender
Aden Flint, 32 - defender
Sean Morrison, 31 - defender
Josh Murphy, 26 - winger
Marlon Pack, 30 - midfielder
Joe Ralls, 28 - midfielder
Alex Smithies, 31 - goalkeeper
Isaac Vassell, 28 - striker
Will Vaulks, 28 - midfielder
Coventry City
Jodi Jones, 24 - attacking midfielder
Josh Pask, 24 - centre-back
Kyle McFadzean, 34 - centre-back
Jordan Shipley, 24 - attacking midfielder (one-year option)
Derby County
Ryan Allsop, 29 - goalkeeper
Nathan Byrne, 29 - right-back
Lee Buchanan, 20 - left-back (one-year option)
Eiran Cashin, 20 - centre-back
Curtis Davies, 36 - centre-back
Festy Ebosele, 19 - wing-back/winger
Craig Forsyth, 32 - left-back
Colin Kazim-Richards, 35 - striker
Isaac Hutchinson, 21 - midfielder
Tom Lawrence, 28 - attacking midfielder
Ravel Morrison, 29 - forward
Kelle Roos, 29 - goalkeeper
Richard Stearman, 34 - centre-back
Liam Thompson, 19 - midfielder
Louie Watson, 20 - attacking midfielder
Fulham
Fabio Carvalho, 19 - attacking midfielder
Neekens Kebano, 29 - winger (one-year option)
Fabri, 34 - goalkeeper
Tyrese Francois, 21 - winger
Michael Hector, 29 - centre-back (one-year option)
Alfie Mawson, 28 - centre-back
Tim Ream, 34 - centre-back
Jean-Michael Seri, 30 - central midfielder (one-year option)
Huddersfield Town
Jamal Blackman, 28 - goalkeeper
Reece Brown, 25 - midfielder
Fraizer Campbell, 34 - striker
Carel Eiting, 24 - midfielder
Josh Koroma, 23 - winger (one-year option)
Naby Sarr, 28 - centre-back
Harry Toffolo, 26 - left-back (one-year option)
Alex Vallejo, 30 - midfielder
Hull City
Tom Eaves, 30 - striker (one-year option)
Callum Elder, 27 - left-back (one-year option)
Josh Emmanuel, 24 - right-back (one-year option)
George Honeyman, 27 - attacking midfielder (one-year option)
Tom Huddlestone, 35 - midfielder (one-year option)
Matt Ingram, 28 - goalkeeper (one-year option)
Richie Smallwood, 31 - defensive midfielder (one-year option)
Mallik Wilks, 23 - striker (one-year option)
Luton Town
Club doesn’t disclose contract lengths
Middlesbrough
Jonny Howson, 33 - midfielder
Sol Bamba, 37 - centre-back
Lee Peltier, 35 - centre-back/full-back
Neil Taylor, 33 - left-back
Millwall
Maikal Kieftenbeld, 31 - defensive midfielder
Connor Mahoney, 25 - winger
Alex Pearce, 33 - centre-back
Jed Wallace, 27 - winger
Murray Wallace, 29 - centre-back
Nottingham Forest
Gaetan Bong, 33 - left-back
Tobias Figueiredo, 28 - defender
Lewis Grabban, 34 - striker
Carl Jenkinson, 29 - right-back
Jordan Smith, 27 - goalkeeper
Peterborough United
Will Blackmore, 20 - goalkeeper
Harrison Burrows, 20 - left-midfielder
Jack Taylor, 23 - midfielder
Preston North End
Tom Barkhuizen, 28 - forward
Jack Baxter, 21 - midfielder
Izzy Brown, 25 - attacking midfielder (one-year option)
Mathew Hudson, 23 - goalkeeper
Paul Huntington, 34 - defender
Joe Rafferty, 28 - defender
Connor Ripley, 29 - goalkeeper
Scott Sinclair, 32 - forward
Jamie Thomas, 25 - attacking midfielder (one-year option)
Ethan Walker, 19 - forward
QPR
Albert Adomah, 34 - winger
Dominic Ball, 26 - central midfielder
Yoann Barbet, 28 - centre-back
David Marshall, 36 - goalkeeper
Moses Odubajo, 28 - right-back (one-year option)
Charlie Owens, 24 - defensive midfield (one-year option)
Lee Wallace, 34 - left-back
Reading
Felipe Araruna, 25 - midfielder
Femi Azeez, 20 - midfielder
Scott Dann, 34 - defender
Alen Halilovic, 25 - midfielder
Junior Hoilett, 31 - midfielder
Tom Holmes, 21 - defender
Josh Laurent, 26 - midfielder
Marc McNulty, 29 - striker
Michael Morrison, 33 - defender
Andy Rinomhota, 24 - midfielder
John Swift, 26 - midfielder
Andy Yiadom, 30 - defender
Sheffield United
Chris Basham, 33 - defender (one-year option)
Adam Davies, 29 - goalkeeper (one-year option)
Luke Freeman, 29 - midfielder (one-year option)
David McGoldrick, 34 - striker (one-year option)
Lys Mousset, 26 - striker (one-year option)
Ben Osborn, 27 - midfielder (one-year option)
Jack Robinson, 28 - defender (one-year option)
Billy Sharp, 36 - striker (one-year option)
Stoke City
Joe Allen, 31 - midfielder
James Chester, 33 – centre-back
Frankie Fielding, 33 - keeper
Steven Fletcher, 34 - striker
Phil Jagielka, 39 – centre-back
Nick Powell, 27 - midfielder (one-year option)
Tommy Smith, 29 – right-back
Mario Vrancic, 32 - midfielder (one-year option)
Swansea City
Yan Dhanda, 23 - attacker
Josh Gould, 24 - goalkeeper (one-year option)
Ben Hamer, 34 - goalkeeper (one-year option)
Kyle Naughton, 33 - defender
Korey Smith, 31 - midfielder
West Brom
David Button, 32 - goalkeeper
Sam Johnstone, 28 - goalkeeper
Romaine Sawyers, 30 - midfielder
