Bolton Wanderers Turning to Major League Soccer for Help in Relegation Battle

Bolton Wanderers have been a club mired in misery for the entire 2011-12 English Premier League season. If they do not turn things around within the next month, they could be headed for relegation to the championship next season.

The Trotters finished in 14th place last season under the direction of manager Owen Coyle. After the loss of some key players and the failure to replace them, the club have been in the bottom three of the Premier League all season. They currently sit in 19th place.

The Wanderers lost goalie Ali Al-Habsi to Wigan, forward Johan Elmander to Galatasaray and failing to secure the permanent signature of Daniel Sturridge after his loan spell from Chelsea ended. Star midfielder Stuart Holden went out with a long-term injury.

The club have failed to replace those players with capable replacements.

Young players like David Ngog, Gael Kakuta and Dedryck Boyata—plus experienced players like Chris Eagles and Nigel Reo-Coker—have not lived up to their potential. Bolton are turning to a unlikely place for reinforcements to help their cause to stay in the Premier League—Major League Soccer.

Bolton have approached two players from the American league to bolster their squad. Tim Ream  from the New York Red Bulls is being lured to the club as a replacement for Gary Cahill, who left for Chelsea this week.

Another MLS player is now being targeted by the club as well, Philadelphia Union forward Sebastien Le Toux is close to a return to European football. The Frenchman has played in MLS for the past three seasons, with the last two being in Philadelphia with his career being resurrected.

Le Toux has scored 25 goals in 62 games for Philadelphia and has been one of the most consistent players for the club. He has have only been in the league for two seasons.

The move for both players is likely to happen. It looks like both clubs and MLS are willing to let the players go off to the club and call the Reebok Stadium their home for the foreseeable future.

At this point, Bolton need any type of new addition to club to provide a burst of energy. These two players are fully capable of it—although they will not reach the high quality of Sturridge when he was loan from Chelsea for the second half of last season.

For Bolton fans, they should receive the players with open arms. Ream and Le Toux may see themselves in the championship next season if their impact is not good enough for Bolton to climb out of the bottom three.