Dougie Freedman: 'Craig Dawson will improve at Bolton Wanderers'

Bolton Wanderers manager Dougie Freedman has assured West Bromwich Albion that Craig Dawson will return to them a better player.

The England Under-21 defender is currently on loan at Bolton until the end of April.

Freedman accepts that Dawson's long-term future is at West Brom, but has assured them that his spell at Bolton will be beneficial.

"When I go into agreements, I don't go in with the intention of pulling the wool over anyone's eyes," Freedman told the Birmingham Mail.

"There were five or six clubs who wanted to take Craig on loan and I told Steve Clarke that if he sent him to us, I would develop him as a young man and a player, in that order.

"He's maturing, he is getting game time and I will hand him back to West Brom better for the experience, I guarantee. We're on track to do that. What happens in the future, we'll have to wait and see."

Bolton are currently five points outside the playoff positions in the Championship.