Megson backing for Bolton recruit Elmander

GARY MEGSON is predicting club record signing Johan Elmander will fire Bolton up the Premier League next term.

Although the Trotters ultimately survived last season, it was not an easy time at the Reebok Stadium, with relegation looking certain.

And Megson had little doubt over the major problem Bolton encountered. Once Nicolas Anelka left for Chelsea in January, they had no-one to score goals.

Now though the Bolton chief feels he has remedied that problem by landing Elmander in a deal worth £10million (€12.6m), shattering the club record which brought Anelka to the north-west in the first place.

“Johan is a player I have admired for a long time,” said Megson.

“He is a player who will get us goals and also create other opportunities for his teammates.”

Megson originally tried to sign Elmander during the January transfer window once it became clear Anelka’s departure was inevitable.

However, at the time he was unable to persuade Toulouse to part with the 27-year-old Sweden international, part of his country’s squad at Euro 2008.

Having scored on a regular basis in France, Holland and Denmark, where he earned league and cup winners medals at Brondby, Elmander has the experience to go with his talent.

He caught the eye with a hat-trick against Bordeaux which saw Toulouse qualify for last season’s Champions League and Megson has been prepared to allow Daniel Braaten to leave England as makeweight in the deal, ending his own ill-fated spell at Bolton.

With Fabrice Muamba also on board for £5m (€6.3m), Bolton have not been scared to splash the cash this summer.

And Megson has pledged the work to strengthen his squad will continue.

“I am still on the lookout for other players to boost the quality of our squad,” he said.