ERHUN Oztumer has quit Bolton Wanderers after ripping up the final year of his contract.

The diminutive playmaker requested a free transfer last month but was turned down by administrators and forced to go to an appeal.

That case was heard yesterday as the club’s future was also being decided in the courts, and the 28-year-old has now been granted permission to start up elsewhere.

Charlton Athletic have been strongly linked with Oztumer’s services over the summer having narrowly failed to land him on loan in January. Sources in South London claim Lee Bowyer is only looking to add a right-back to his ranks before the deadline on September 2 – but news of the former Peterborough United and Walsall midfielder’s availability could now tempt him into an offer.

Oztumer started just 10 games in total for Wanderers, including the opening day defeat at Wycombe.

He scored on debut against Leeds United in the Carabao Cup last season but struggled to fit into Phil Parkinson’s formation in the weeks and months afterwards.

“I felt like I’d given the gaffer something to think about,” he told The Bolton News this summer.

“After a few more sub appearances I came into the side when we started losing games, so it was difficult to adapt.

“I felt like when I came into the team there were a lot of tactical changes. We were trying to work the ball out from the back a bit more but it didn’t quite come for us and I was first in line to be dropped.

“The gaffer was great, very honest. He wasn’t blaming me, or anything like that, it was just that when I played I hadn’t quite had that finishing touch.”

Oztumer picked up a knee injury after the Wycombe game and was not available for the home clash with Coventry City or Tuesday’s Carabao Cup defeat at Rochdale.

His departure leaves Wanderers with just Remi Matthews, Ben Alnwick, Jason Lowe and Luke Murphy in the senior ranks, alongside summer signing James Weir.