Max Dean's transfer to Bolton collapses, he resumes training
This summer, the English striker Max Dean, 22, was set to leave La Gantoise to join the Bolton Wanderers, but the transfer fell through in the final days of the market. Since then, the young goal‑scorer has not returned to the pitch with the Buffalos.
Rik De Mil, the coach of La Gantoise, confirmed that Max Dean has resumed training sessions with the group, after the period of uncertainty that followed the failed transfer. The staff deemed it essential to reintegrate him gradually.
Arriving at La Gantoise in 2024, the 22‑year‑old player experienced a “Pro League feeling” from his first season, before suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury. Upon his return, he quickly regained his good habits and scored seven goals in twenty‑five league matches last season.
The Transfer to Bolton That Vanishes
Early summer, Dean was on the verge of signing with the Bolton Wanderers, then in the Championship, after having only known League One in England. The project fell apart in the final days of the market, leaving the player without a new club.
This disappointment disrupted his summer, depriving him of part of the preparation and training planned for the transfer. “He went through a difficult period, but he is back in training,” Rik De Mil said in the columns of . “He was given the necessary time to digest it, because it’s not always easy,” the coach added.
Physical Lag and Prospects
Physically, Dean is lagging behind his teammates: he has only played the first two matches of the season, the European qualifiers against Cherkasy, and has not been integrated into the core in the league. “He has only trained with the group for a week,” Rik De Mil recalls, adding that “this lag cannot be made up by magic.” His pre‑match exuberance has given way to a recovery phase.
The mental aspect remains crucial. Dean hoped to cap this nice comeback to the forefront with a transfer, but the project evaporated. “It’s human that it takes a little time, but he must remember that being a footballer is the most beautiful job in the world,” De Mil concluded, emphasizing the need to regain desire and positivity.