Bolton Wanderers set for Liverpool swoop after Preston North End transfer axe

Former Preston North End loan defender Calvin Ramsay is poised to join Bolton Wanderers on loan, as per a report.

According to a post in the Daily Mail’s live blog, Ramsay is ‘joining’ the League One side. The Reds were said to be impressed by how they had helped prepare Connor Bradley for first-team football and that played a huge part in their decision.

Ramsay returned to Anfield earlier this month, after his loan at Deepdale was cut short. The 20-year-old was limited to just two appearances after dealing with a knee problem from last season. The one-time Scotland international had been linked with surprise moves to Championship promotion hopefuls Leeds United and Southampton, but that now seems unlikely.

He is in need of game time at this stage of his development and may have only been a back-up option to the two sides, who are chasing automatic promotion back to the Premier League. Bolton are chasing promotion to the Championship and sit second in the table as things stand. They are two points behind league leaders Portsmouth and have two games in hand.

Commenting on Ramsay's time at PNE, Preston boss Ryan Lowe said: ‘It was a bit unfortunate for Calvin. He is a fantastic lad and his attitude and application, he did everything right. We had to get him up to match speed, for the Championship and he obviously had a setback when he first came.

‘He played against QPR and did okay, but it was his first game for a while. He came on against Middlesbrough at half time as well, so he had some minutes. Lo and behold, he got COVID after QPR and missed two or three games, then was out of the squad.

‘He was fine with it, no problem. But, I think we’ve come to a mutual agreement with Liverpool that he’s not playing enough minutes or getting enough game time. I think it is probably best that he goes back, and he potentially may go out on loan again somewhere else.

‘So from me, all the staff, players and the football club, we wish him all the best. We were expecting him to be fit and ready early on in the season. We’d agreed to sign him early doors, from July time. He was hoping to come on the pre-season tour with us, for two or three days just to integrate with the group.

‘But, we couldn’t get him there because there was still a bit of work for him to do. And when he did join us, he wasn’t fit enough. He had to go back and reassess. He wasn’t our player and we were governed by what Liverpool wanted to do. We have got a great relationship with Liverpool and both sides did everything they possibly could.’

Despite Ramsay returning to Liverpool, North End have not sought a replacement. Brad Potts is first-choice right-back and there are other players capable of playing in that position, and so there won't be any late January signings in that particular area of the pitch.