Erhun Oztumer completes move to Bolton Wanderers
Walsall’s Erhun Oztumer has completed his move to Bolton Wanderers after signing a two-year deal at the Macron Stadium.
The 27-year-old leaves the Saddlers on a free transfer after turning down the chance to remain at the club.
The Express & Star understands the move has seen the former Peterborough man more than double his wages.
It also allows the creative schemer to realise a long-term ambition of playing in the Championship.
“I’m thrilled to put pen to paper and I just can’t wait to get started now," Oztumer told bwfc.co.uk.
“I am excited to test myself in the Sky Bet Championship with some great players and I’ll be looking to show the Bolton faithful exactly what I am capable of.
“I had a chat with the manager and I really felt as though it was the right move for me.
"He told me all the things that I wanted to hear and that’s why I’m here today as a Bolton Wanderers player.”
Manager Phil Parkinson was thrilled to get the playmaker after watching him for some time.
“We’re really pleased with the signing of Erhun," said Parkinson
“He has been one of the most productive players in Sky Bet League One over the past few seasons for a team in and around the bottom half of the table and we’re very much looking forward to working with him over the next couple of years.”
Snapped up from Posh in June 2016, Oztumer went onto be a revelation at the Banks’s Stadium.
The forward quickly became a fans favourite after netting a collection of spectacular goals.
And his overall creativity as well as his eye for a pass saw him named Players’ Player of the Year in each of his two seasons with the club.
Nicknamed the Wizard of Oz by supporters, Oztumer has also finished as Walsall’s top scorer in each of the last two campaigns.
He netted a career best 15 goals in the 2016/17 season and then bettered that by scoring 17 times last year.
Those goals led to Walsall’s hierarchy offering his a new deal to remain in the West Midlands.
But in January, chief executive Stefan Gamble revealed Oztumer had turned down three offers to remain at the club.
And while he never ruled out staying, this summer he indicated to boss Dean Keates he wanted to explore the options open to him.
