Bolton Wanderers have been knocked back in their efforts to sign Kilmarnock‘s David Watson.
The Trotters have looked to reinforce their midfield and have landed on a promising target in the 20-year-old, who has six months left on his contract in Scotland.
Six-Figure Bid Rejected
According to the Daily Record, Bolton have been stifled in their efforts to sign Watson, and have had a £500,000 bid rejected by Kilmarnock as they push for survival in the Scottish Premiership.
The midfielder has played in 21 of Killie’s 24 Scottish Premiership games this season, and returned to action for the Rugby Park side over the weekend in a convincing 3-0 win over Aberdeen.
It is believed that Kilmarnock will not consider selling Watson, who is seen as a crucial piece in their efforts to beat the drop under new manager Neil McCann.
Bolton have been looking to bolster their midfield options this deadline day, and are set to keep John McAtee after previous reports suggested other League One clubs would be interested in a loan move for the 26-year-old.
What Next For Bolton
With Kilmarnock holding firm and rejecting Bolton’s bid for David Watson, it seems that the Trotters will have to look elsewhere to improve their squad in the final hours of the window.
The 20-year-old has a lot of promise and has delivered regularly in the Scottish Premiership, making him a more than ideal target for teams like Bolton whose ambitions lay in the Championship.
While it has been a difficult season across the board for the Ayrshire side, Watson has been a standout in midfield for goalscoring, with 31 shots and an xG of 2.90 ranking in the top 10% of all Scottish Premiership players in his position.
Steven Schumacher looks set to retain John McAtee and, alongside Ruben Rodrigues, have two very solid forward-minded players in the middle of the pitch, so they should be fine for the remainder of the campaign.
However, with his contract expiring shortly, it could be a shrewd move for the summer for Bolton to pursue once again.