Fast-moving Wanderers have secured the services of defender Marlon Fossey from Championship side Fulham as their second signing of the January transfer window.
Fossey – a 23-year-old attack-minded right-back – joins Wanderers on loan from Fulham for the remainder of the season to follow New Year’s Day signing Dion Charles into the University of Bolton Stadium.
Wanderers have moved swiftly to strengthen their squad and increase manager Ian Evatt’s selection options for the second half of the season.
And Fossey is eager to play his part in helping the Whites climb up the League One table and bolster his own CV, which includes more than a decade on the books at Fulham, international football up to U20 level with the United States and a previous loan spell at Shrewsbury Town.
“I’ve been playing U23s football this season and it’s a step up from that and I’m excited for the challenge,” said Fossey after training with Wanderers for the first time on Monday morning.
“With 23s games you’ve got 10s/20s people watching. Now you’ve got potentially thousands and I like playing in front of a lot of people and I’m getting the prospect of doing that every week, so I can’t wait.
“It’s a higher level and I think the more minutes I can earn myself the higher my level will get. It’s a great opportunity to test myself and whatever happens I think I’ll learn a lot from it.
“I’m aware of Bolton’s Premier League history. I was up here a couple of days ago and was shown around the stadium and the facilities.
“It definitely looks like a club that was once at the top. There’s definitely an aura of hunger to get back up there and hopefully I can help them with my little part while I’m here.”
Hollywood-born Fossey – who holds dual US and UK nationality – moved to Jersey at the age of four before catching the eye of Fulham and joining their Academy set-up, initially as a striker, at the age of 11.
A talented athlete, he progressed successfully through the ranks at Craven Cottage and had his first taste of EFL football after signing on loan for Shrewsbury under former Wanderers’ defender Sam Ricketts in August 2020.
Injury curtailed that spell after nine appearances but after returning to Fulham he was rewarded with a new two-year deal last summer and has helped the Londoners to top spot in the second tier of Premier League 2 so far this season.
Fossey is now ready to seize the chance of first-team football with Wanderers and will bring added pace and power as a further right-back option in Evatt’s squad after taking on the number 13 shirt.
“I’m like most full-backs these days. I like to have the ball in the attacking area and I like to impact the game defensively as well,” he added.
“I have an intensity and athleticism and hopefully Bolton can see the best of me while I’m here.
“I’m here to try and bring the club into a better place than they are at the moment and I’m hungry to help out as much as I can.”