OFFICAL - Szabolcs Schön

Winger - Hungarian international.

Apparently he's at the club - awaiting a medical?

Hopefully he’s Szabolcs!

finlaymcdanger wrote:Hopefully he’s Szabolcs!

Haha!

finlaymcdanger wrote:Hopefully he’s Szabolcs!

You nicked that from my dog szabolcs pun yesterday!

Anyhoo I am a bit concerned about this signing as he was unimpressive earlier in his career and has a piss poor scoring record plus he's very lightweight - but will probably win a lot of free kicks. Ferverher fans seem to think he's talented but he has a reputation for being a bit of a drama queen/prima donna. I also think we might have overpaid for him and offered a high salary given that he turned down 3 clubs on the basis that they weren't offering him enough.

That said, he's an international player, he's young and he's reasonably quick (not as fast as Vladimir Weiss was though) so he has potential and maybe we can bring it out of him and turn him into a major force for the team. Clearly the club thinks so, so I'll reserve judgement until he's played a few games and we'll have seen a bit more of him.

I may have doubts but I really, really want him to work out for us.

Signed.
£800k plus add ons for promotion.



Wanderers have added to their international ranks with the signing of exciting Hungarian wing-back Szabolcs Schön.

The 23-year-old, who has been capped eight times by his country, becomes the Whites’ fifth summer signing after arriving from Hungarian top-flight club Fehervar for an undisclosed fee – subject to international clearance.

Schön has signed an initial three-year deal at the Toughsheet Community Stadium and brings a successful end to Wanderers’ detailed pursuit of a left-sided wing-back who meets the criteria for manager Ian Evatt’s plans as a creative, attack-minded wide player with the dribbling skills to go past opponents in support of the Whites’ front line.

The former Ajax youngster also possesses the athleticism to carry out his defensive duties and is a key addition to Wanderers’ squad ahead of the new campaign.

Evatt said: “The left wing-back area was a position we felt we needed to strengthen. At the moment, senior player-wise, we've only got Randell there and he’s been carrying an injury in pre-season.

“Szabi is our first move into the European and worldwide market and is someone with an incredible background, from being a kid at Ajax to a full international with Hungary who has played in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley and helped his country get a positive result.

“He’s also played club football in Europe, so he's got an incredible pedigree and brings a skill set and the tools we require from that position.

“He speaks perfect English and having played in the MLS at Dallas he understands English instructions and he will suit the way we play. It's incredibly exciting for everyone to see how he gets on.”

The Wanderers’ boss added: “The most important thing now is that we make him feel really welcome. He’s moving away from home again and away from his family and as a Bolton Wanderers family we need to make sure we support him and make sure the transition is as seamless as possible.”

The signing of Schön follows groundwork first laid down by Wanderers 12 months ago when new employment laws adopted by the FA allowed League One and Two clubs to recruit up to two players

What Szabolcs Schön brings to the table for Bolton Wanderers

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Back before the pre-season narrative was stolen by niggling injuries and slow-motion transfer chases, the focus had been on how Wanderers would evolve after last season’s play-off heartbreak.

Ian Evatt felt confident the squad which had been 90 minutes away from promotion was good enough to go a step further but accepted that he may need more tactical flexibility to avoid some of the pitfalls he experienced in 2023/24.

Early deals for Klaidi Lolos and Scott Arfield were a nod in that direction. Both able to play as midfielders, supporting attackers or as an out-and-out front man, their arrival instantly gave the Wanderers boss a few different shapes with which to play, something that later came in handy when the injuries started to bite.

Now, Hungarian Szabolcs Schön has added another layer of depth, having completed his move from Fehérvár on Friday afternoon.

Bolton’s need is such that the 23-year-old will almost certainly be played at wing-back in the short term – indeed, that is exactly where he has been playing his club football in the city of Székesfehérvár, which coincidentally is twinned with Chorley.

Schön had spent more of his early career playing as a winger, however, and when promoted from Hungary’s Under-21s to the senior team in 2021, his ability to switch to either flank stood him out against the crowd.

Wanderers have signed a player who spent more than two years in the Ajax academy and who attracted a big money offer from the MLS at the age of 20.

Evatt will hope to bring more out of Schön than he showed in just over a year at Dallas FC and will be quietly confident that he will be a better fit in footballing style. Those who have watched him regularly in the Hungarian top-flight speak of an intelligent player who is comfortable on the ball, can spot a pass, and has a sharp burst of pace.

Most of all, however, Wanderers have brought in another player who can rotate position within games, which might just give Evatt the flexibility he has craved.

Schön’s time at Ajax and in the US means he has a good grip of the English language but in casting their net wider and looking to bring in foreign talent, Bolton are also going to have to learn some lessons of their own.

Settling a player can be tricky enough when they have moved a fair distance within England or Wales – Aaron Collins, for example – and though the proximity of the club’s excellent hotel is a godsend, it is also not a long-term measure.

Getting the best out of Schön on the pitch, and ensuring he is content away from it will be part of the plan cooked up by Evatt and Chris Markham, whose recruitment department has worked hard to expand their reach in the last 12 months and offer meaningful data on leagues and players who have been way out of the club’s reach for the better part of a decade.

Gone are the days where a well-edited DVD or a YouTube montage will get you through the door – Wanderers have done serious homework which, all being well, should limit the risk involved.

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