George Thomason is staying at Wanderers, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites received a substantial offer from a higher-ranked club for Thomason.
But the 22-year-old midfielder has opted not to purse that interest and will remain as a key part of manager Ian Evatt’s plans.
“From the minute we made him aware of the offer, George never expressed a desire to leave the football club,” said the Wanderers’ boss.
“He loves being here and loves that we’ve shown him faith and loyalty from day one and given him his big chance in football and that means something to him.
“Finding a young man with that attitude is a real rarity so that should be celebrated. He’s committing his future to this football club and we’re really proud of him and proud of that decision.”
Thomason is Wanderers’ longest serving player after joining the club from Longridge Town in January, 2020.
The former Blackpool youngster has since flourished under Evatt, growing in stature on and off the field and progressing with the Whites from the bottom end of League Two to a place in last season’s League One play-offs.
He has so far made 74 appearances for Wanderers, with that number now set to grow significantly following his decision to stay and help Evatt’s side keep climbing.
“It’s a marker for us to say that we’re on the right track and people are really bought into what we’re trying to do,” added Evatt, whose side has won their first three games of the season ahead of Tuesday night’s visit of Fleetwood Town.
“We’re delighted and we can crack on now, knowing he’s a big part of our journey to come."