Former Arsenal and Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista will join Bolton, providing he impresses in trial game
Baptista is a free agent after leaving MLS outfit Orlando City last year and is keen to resurrect his career with the Championship side
BRAZILIAN forward Julio Baptista is set to make a return to English football with Bolton if he can impress in a trial game.
SunSport have been told a deal until the end of the campaign is on the table, providing he can prove his fitness to boss Phil Parkinson.
We exclusively revealed in July the former Arsenal man was on the Trotters radar after impressing for his country in the Star Sixes tournament at London's O2 in July.
After promotion back to the Championship, the Lancashire side are looking to add some experience to their ranks.
The 35-year-old is desperate to get going again after his release from MLS outfit Orlando City last November.
A source revealed: “Bolton have been in talks with Julio and his team for a few weeks.
“He is a great guy to do business with and all he wants to do it get his career going again in England.
“Since talks have gone so well with Bolton, now he only wants to work under Phil Parkinson.
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“The club will arrange a game for him to play in and he will have to show Parkinson he is fully fit and up to the task of playing in the Championship.”
Baptista, known as “The Beast”, was a prime target for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger while the attacker was at Seville in 2005.
But he opted to join Real Madrid, but then ended up at the Emirates a year later in a swap deal with Jose Antonio Reyes.
Baptista struggled in the Premier League scoring just three goals in 24 appearances.
But Gunners fans will remember him most for his four goals against Liverpool at Anfield in a stunning 6-3 League Cup quarter-final win.
Despite being under a transfer embargo, Bolton have managed to strengthen the squad, landing Adam Le Fondre, Sammy Ameobi, Will Buckley, Stephen Darby, Aaron Wilbraham and Craig Noone.
The Trotters are still looking for their first league win this season and welcome Middlesbrough to the Macron Stadium on Saturday.
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