Jon Dadi Bodvarsson future on ice for now at Bolton Wanderers, says Ian Evatt

JON Dadi Bodvarsson will have to wait until the conclusion of Wanderers’ season to find out for sure if he has kicked his last ball for the club.

The Icelandic striker has been ruled out for the next few weeks with a calf muscle injury and appeared to bid an emotional farewell to the Bolton fans during Saturday’s lap of appreciation following the 2-0 win against Port Vale.

Bodvarsson is out of contract in the summer but Ian Evatt has confirmed that no talks have taken place to extend his deal, as things stand.

Turning 32 in May, Bodvarsson has played 94 times for the Whites, scoring 25 goals. And the timing of his injury – which will almost certainly keep him side-lined until after the play-off final – came at a time when he had rediscovered a good run of form.

Evatt told The Bolton News: “There have been no discussions with any players about what is happening, moving forward, I want them al focussed on what is ahead. The time for that talk is for when the season finishes, not for now.

“It is unfortunate for Jon that every time we seem to get him in really good form and with a run of games he has picked up an injury. Sometimes that happens.

“He is a brilliant character and a brilliant guy, he has been a huge help to us. His wife is heavily pregnant and expectant so I think the injury has made sure she gets a little more support now! There’s always positives.

“He such an excellent person to have around, it is really unfortunate that we have him injured at such a crucial period of the season.”

Bodvarsson led a ‘Thunder Clap’ with the thousands of Bolton supporters who stayed behind to applaud the players off the pitch on what was the final home game of the regular season.

The former Reading and Wolves front man has enjoyed an excellent relationship with the supporters since signing for the club from Millwall in January 2022.

Evatt acknowledged the bond Bodvarsson has with the fans and is pleased to see the same thing happening for some of his newer signings too.

“Listen, I’m a football fan, and you always want that cult hero to relate to and inspire you, and I think over my tenure here we have had a few of those players,” he said.

“It was great to hear Aaron Collins’ name being sung by the supporters, a new hero, Paris Maghoma walking around at the end and getting such a lot – another loan player that the fans have fallen in love with, as well as me!

“That is what football is all about and it has been fantastic to see that Jon has that with the supporters.”

Wanderers yesterday received an extra allocation of 974 tickets for their final game of the season at Peterborough United this Saturday (kick-off 12.30pm).

The initial allocation of 1,700 was sold out for a game that could still see Bolton promoted automatically, albeit only with the help of a convincing win and a defeat for Derby County at home to Carlisle United.