Bolton Wanderers are set to embark on their first transfer window with Steven Schumacher at the helm, but will see one of their top players depart this summer.
The Trotters ended the season with no wins in their last six League One outings, a run that extended to just two victories in their final eleven matches.
That led to the team finishing outside of the play-off places by ten points. A notable absentee for most of the second half of the campaign was former captain Ricardo Santos.
Former Captain Impresses Despite Prolonged Absence
The 29-year-old started the 2024/25 campaign as club captain, but former manager Ian Evatt decided to hand the armband to midfielder George Thomason.
Despite this, Santos would make 25 appearances in the third tier, but only one of these would come after February due to a lengthy injury.
There is no doubt that Bolton Wanderers would have been much closer to the top six had the defender stayed fit.
He ranked first at the club for clearances and blocks per game, highlighting his tendency to get stuck in and make an impact in defensive transitions.
This is an impressive statistic considering he missed 21 matches in the League One campaign.
Despite stripping the player of the armband, former manager Evatt was full of praise for the defender, insisting the decision would potentially take the pressure off his shoulders.
According to Bolton News, Evatt said in September:
“I don’t need to repeat my admiration for Rico and I believe removing some of the responsibility from his shoulders will help him prove that he is, in my opinion, one of the best defenders in the division.”
Championship Club Win Race For Bolton Wanderers Defender
Santos has made over 200 appearances for Bolton Wanderers since arriving from Barnet Town on a free transfer in 2020.
He has been one of, if not the best, player at the club in that time, with his performance levels remaining remarkably consistent despite the team failing to gain promotion from League One.
It appears he will be rewarded for those displays with Pete O’Rourke reporting on X that Championship club Swansea are set to win the race for his signature following the expiration of his contract at the Trotters.
The report states that multiple clubs were after the player’s signature, including from abroad, but he has decided to move to the Championship with Swansea.
Santos is an experienced defender at EFL level and captained Bolton Wanderers in their League One play-off final defeat to Oxford United in 2023/24.
However, he has never played football in the second tier, so his transition up should be an interesting watch after over 300 matches at League One to National League level.
He has all the attributes to be an excellent signing, and this could prove to be a shrewd move by Swansea, who at the very least have significantly increased the depth in their backline.
Their activity may not stop there, with the club reportedly targeting a move for Lincoln City star Ethan Erhahon.