Exclusive: Bolton Wanderers close to appointing ex-Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher | OneFootball

Steven Schumacher is poised to become the next Bolton Wanderers manager, Football League World has learned...

Bolton Wanderers are closing in on the appointment of former Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City boss Steven Schumacher, Football League World understands.

The Trotters' search for a new permanent manager is now set to be concluded with the appointment of Schumacher, after Bolton parted ways with Ian Evatt last week.

It has been a disappointing season for Bolton, who have struggled to kick on following last season's agonising play-off final defeat to Oxford United.

They are currently seventh in the league and find themselves outside the top-six on goal difference, but with two victories from their last two matches, it will be hoped that Schumacher can build on the momentum and fire Bolton into the play-off places and beyond.

Bolton Wanderers set to appoint Steven Schumacher

FLW can exclusively reveal Bolton are closing in on Schumacher, who is set to imminently return to management with the third-tier outfit.

The Liverpudlian has been out of work since September after his controversial dismissal from Stoke and was linked to a number of Championship vacancies in recent months, but is now prepared to drop back down to League One.

Following Evatt's departure, which came in the wake of the 2-1 defeat to fellow promotion rivals Charlton Athletic, a host of names have been linked to the job at Bolton.

Schumacher, alongside St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson and Steve Evans, had been tipped to potentially succeed Evatt, as per reports - but sources close to FLW have now confirmed the 40-year-old is closing in on a switch to the Toughsheet Stadium.

Steven Schumacher is an outstanding appointment for Bolton Wanderers

The Bolton hierarchy deserve credit for pulling off this appointment, which should be officially confirmed in the near future.

Schumacher knows exactly what it takes to get out of the division, having led Plymouth to the League One title ahead of Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town in the 2022/23 season, and he also held his own in the Championship with both the Pilgrims and then the Potters, with his sacking by Stoke widely deemed as a harsh decision.

His possession-based style will suit the technically-minded squad he has inherited from Evatt, but Schumacher can also use a more direct and wide approach, and such tactical flexibility will appease a fanbase which had grown tired of the often one-dimensional brand deployed by his predecessor.

Schumacher is a cut above League One, all things considered.

That's exactly why his name had been on the lips of many second-tier fanbases, so it's impressive Bolton have been able to advance to a position where they are now understood to be closing in on unveiling Schumacher as their next manager.