Ian Evatt believes Bolton are ‘in prime position’ to sign Fulham full back Marlon Fossey on a permanent basis on the summer.

The American defender has been a revelation during his loan spell with Wanderers and the League One side are keen to explore the possibility of keeping him beyond the end of the season. The 23 year-old’s Craven Cottage contract has a further sixteen months to run and Evatt told the Manchester Evening News that he is unsure of Fulham’s future plans for their flying full back.

“He has got another year at Fulham and they now look well on their way to getting back into the Premier League. What their plans are with him I don’t really know at this stage but we have put our hat into the ring, so to speak, and hopefully he will choose us. We think we are in prime position because he is in our building right here, right now.

Right now we have to make sure he understands how important he is to us and how appreciated he is by the club. Hopefully he will enjoy it that much that he wants to stay. We shouldn’t forget that this is his first real run of senior football. He had gone to Shrewsbury before and suffered a bit with injuries but they are a completely different club and team to us.

Evatt revealed that the shaggy-haired defender was still savouring his first senior goal, a superb strike at Oxford United which he celebrated with a triple backwards somersault – showing off his schoolboy gymnastic skills in front of the travelling fans.

“He said to me that Saturday was probably the highlight of his young career so far and I told him ‘stick with us kid, there’s plenty more to come. He feels wanted. The fans are really appreciating what he does and I’d like him to shy away from those somersaults now that we have all seen he can do them. I don’t want him injured. Other than that he has been a pleasure to work with and a fantastic character.”