Wembley hero Ruben Rodrigues has signed a new deal to extend his stay with the Whites.
Rodrigues - whose two goals in last season’s League One play-off final helped Wanderers’ clinch promotion - has agreed a new contract running until June, 2028.
The deal will keep the attacking midfielder beyond the initial 18-month contract he signed when joining Wanderers on a free transfer in January, 2026 in a further early-season boost for the Whites.
Rodrigues said: “Before I came, it's tough to say a connection, but when I played with Oxford here it was something I always wanted to experience, to play for Bolton.
“To finally do that and to get the appreciation of wanting me to stay longer is a very nice thing to say. It's been very good so far. Right now, I have a little minor setback but hopefully I can be back on the pitch soon and I've definitely enjoyed my time here.”
Rodrigues, 30, has made a major impact with the Whites as an integral part of Steven Schumacher’s squad and become a favourite with the supporters since his arrival at the start of the year via a short spell playing in Brazil.
The former Notts County and Oxford United man – who started his career in the top-flight of Dutch football – finished the 2025/26 campaign in outstanding form and netted twice in the 4-1 Wembley win over Stockport County which sealed Wanderers’ play-off triumph and his own second promotion from League One.
The Portuguese-born play-maker maintained his goal-scoring form in pre-season and is looking forward to the chance to step onto the Championship stage with Wanderers after watching Schumacher’s get up and running with last Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Preston North End.
“Watching on the sidelines was difficult,” admitted Rodrigues, who is hoping to be back in action in a few weeks’ time after suffering a knee injury in the Whites’ opening-day Carabao Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday.
“But it was amazing – the amount of fans and the noise and the win, of course. And the way we did it, so deserved in a derby. It's just so much better, the Championship. It's just so much more and, yeah, I have butterflies, really.
“With Oxford, we had a little bit of a difficult season in terms of my position on the pitch, more defending. I think this year we have a bit more attacking system, an attack-minded manager, a bit more the ball.
“It's going to help me play the way I want to play and hopefully I can be more important for Bolton than I was for Oxford at the time.
“I feel like I'm getting fitter every year and I feel like I'm getting better every year. I hope a bare minimum two more years here and who knows whatever happens in the future.”
Watch the full interview with Ruben on Wanderers TV.