DAN Nlundulu looks set to stay on loan at Cambridge United until the end of the season unless Wanderers get a chance to cash in on their striker.

The former Southampton man has played 24 games and scored five goals for the U’s since making the loan switch in August. And in the lead-up to the January window, Ian Evatt hinted that there had been some interest from other clubs about a permanent deal.

Cambridge have been given assurances that unless one of those offers moves forward in the next few weeks, the 25-year-old will remain at the Abbey Stadium.

Four players are currently ahead of Nlundulu in the queue at Wanderers - Aaron Collins, John McAtee, Dion Charles and Victor Adeboyejo, with highly-rated Irish youngster Conor Carty also back in action for the B Team after a long-term injury.

After Bolton paid out a “six figure” fee to sign Nlundulu on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023, a hamstring injury wrecked his efforts to establish himself last season, restricting him to just three league starts.

Cambridge boss Garry Monk is confident he will have the striker’s services for the time being.

“The club have spoken to Bolton and they have no intention of recalling him, which is obviously positive news,” Monk told the Cambridge Independent.

“I’ve been in the game long enough to know you can’t count your chickens and anything can happen in football at certain times, but I think they realise it’s been a period of success for him in terms of being able play minutes more consistently. For large parts of it Dan has been an important player for us.

“This is all part of the journey and a part of football from season to season. We try to get the best assurances that we can then trust in that word. That’s what we’ve had so far with the players that we need to be here.”

Asked about Nlundulu’s immediate future, Evatt admitted there could yet be some surprise exits in the next few weeks – with the striker one of a few players who could be moved on at short notice.

“There are conversations happening all the time and as I’ve said before, I do think there will be ins and outs in this window,” he told us. “How much I don’t yet know but there will be some significant churn.”

Another of Bolton’s players out on loan who may yet change his course this month is midfielder Nelson Khumbeni, who has been with League Two Accrington Stanley.

Evatt has confirmed the former Norwich man could be recalled and sent out elsewhere at a higher level, having featured 23 times for Stanley.

He said: “There is interest in Nelson – some permanent and some loan. Again, we’ll have conversations behind the scenes over the next week and make the best decision for us and him.”

Wanderers are seeking to add up to three players to their own squad in the January window but have now maxed out the number of outfield or over-21s they can bring in without letting another registered player leave.

Aaron Morley became the 22nd player added to the roster when he started against Exeter City at the weekend, which leaves Bolton with some shuffling to do if they intend to bring in targets such as Peterborough United’s Joel Randall.