At one stage, Jack Rodwell had the world at his feet. Everton’s youngest-ever European debutant was capturing the imagination of several audiences with his performances. He was Everton’s answer to Steven Gerrard across Stanley Park and was dubbed the next England captain before an ill-fated move to Manchester City in the summer of 2012.
Injuries and competition limited Rodwell’s opportunities at Etihad, following his big-money move. In fact, he made just 16 league appearances across two seasons for the Citizens.
The boyhood Toffees’ fan’s fortunes have since nosedived. League One side Sunderland recently terminated Rodwell’s € 70,000-a-week contract as his agent pulled a blinder by not including a relegation clause in his contract. The beleaguered Rodwell featured twice for the Black Cats as the Wearsiders were relegated from the Championship last season.
Rodwell had one year left on his five-year deal with the club. He was expected to take a 40% pay cut to earn a decent €44,000-a-week, following Sunderland’s relegation but things have taken a turn for the worse. Rodwell managed just 53 starts for Sunderland during his four-year stint at the Stadium of Light.
Since then, there has been speculation that Watford would offer him a return to the Premier League. However, a move to Bolton Wanderers would be ideal for Rodwell, who hasn’t played senior football since September 2017.
Promoted to the Championship in the 2016/17 season, Bolton survived a relegation scare as they finished 21st last season, two points clear of Barnsley. A nervy 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest was enough to help the Trotters climb out of the 23rd place and into safety.
Going forward, Bolton must strengthen their squad to avoid another relegation battle. The Macron Stadium outfit scored 39 goals and shipped a massive 74 goals in the Championship last season. If Phil Parkinson can keep Rodwell fit, the former Everton prodigy could offer cover for his defence. The 27-year-old mainly plays as a defensive midfielder but can also be deployed as a central midfielder.
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The free agent player would need to pass a trial first. It would be interesting to see if the player is willing to turn down the opportunity to join some big clubs to prove himself in the Championship. It has been a long time coming for all parties to cut their losses but Rodwell must choose his next move wisely to resurrect his ailing career.
