Bolton Farewells: Johnston and Key Players Depart After Promotion
Five years, 188 games, a captain’s armband at Wembley and a promotion party. Then the door closes.
Bolton Wanderers’ longest-serving current player, George Johnston, is leaving the club this summer, just days after leading them to the Championship.
The 27-year-old centre-back, who came through Liverpool’s academy before a spell at Feyenoord, wore the armband on Sunday as Bolton beat Stockport County in the League One play-off final under the arch. It was a fitting stage for a player who has quietly become one of the pillars of the club’s revival.
It was also his last act in a Bolton shirt.
Wembley starters out the door
Johnston is not alone. Right-back Jordi Osei-Tutu, another member of that victorious starting XI at Wembley, will also depart.
The 27-year-old defender arrived from German side Bochum in August 2024 and went on to make 80 appearances in two seasons. His energy on the flank and versatility have been useful tools for Bolton, but the step up to the Championship has prompted hard calls.
The promotion party has been quickly followed by a reset.
Midfield changes and loan exits
Midfielder Kyle Dempsey, an unused substitute in the play-off final, has also been released. He leaves alongside Carlos Mendes Gomes, who spent most of the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Exeter City.
These exits underline the scale of the rebuild facing manager Steven Schumacher as he prepares for life back in the second tier. The core that carried Bolton up is already being reshaped.
And that’s before the loan contingent is even considered.
- Johnny Kenny
- Rob Apter
- Ibrahim Cissoko
- Marcus Forss
- Corey Blackett-Taylor
- Mason Burstow
- Amario Cozier-Duberry
are all heading back to their parent clubs. Each of them played a part in adding depth and dynamism to Schumacher’s squad; all of them now leave gaps that need filling.
Promotion has brought opportunity. It has also stripped the squad back to its frame.
Schon seals permanent exit
There is another confirmed departure. Szabi Schon has completed a permanent move to Hungarian champions ETO FC Gyor after two years on Bolton’s books.
The 25-year-old Hungary midfielder made 44 appearances for Wanderers and spent last season on loan at Gyor, who have now triggered their option to buy. His future lies in a title-winning side on the continent, not in the Championship grind.
A new Bolton takes shape
For supporters, the contrast is stark. The image of Johnston lifting Bolton at Wembley is still fresh. The reality of a squad in flux has arrived just as quickly.
Schumacher must now build a Championship-ready group almost on the fly, replacing experience, leadership and loan quality in one window. Promotion was the first test. The rebuild will be the next one that decides how long Bolton stay up.
