Maloney and co will be willing to maintain the services of Tickle
- Hughes, a young and solid defender at Wigan Athletic, impresses with his passing accuracy and goal-scoring ability.
- Tickle showcases his skills as a talented goalkeeper, attracting interest from Everton and Sunderland.
- Aasgaard, a fan favorite, stands out for his goal-scoring prowess, versatility, and may be difficult to lure away from Wigan.
Despite starting the 2023–24 League One season with a points deduction and facing a transfer ban, Wigan Athletic had a fantastic season, placing 12th in the third tier table.
For the summer transfer window of 2024, the Latics’ transfer embargo is lifted, and manager Shaun Maloney intends to take advantage of the chance to add players to the team.
Throughout the season, Maloney’s youthful players shone in the starting lineup, and the 41-year-old will be hoping that summer additions will help the team contend for a 2024–25 play-off spot.
These three players are the most likely to draw transfer interest as the Latics look to part ways with some of their gifted starlets this summer in addition to adding new players to the roster:
Charlie Hughes
Charlie Hughes, who is only 20 years old, has shown promise as the Latics’ central defender. He has led the team on several occasions, most notably in an FA Cup third-round match against Manchester United.
This season, he has also played for England’s men’s Euro Elite Squad, and he is crucial to Maloney’s team’s offensive strategy.
Hughes has the ability to make a big impact for his team as well. In January, he scored an incredible goal in the 110th minute to help his team defeat Wycombe Wanderers 1-0.
He is a reliable defender who, in the 2023–2024 League One season, won 64.2% of his duels and 66.7% of the tackles he attempted, according to FotMob.
In the third tier, he demonstrated his all-around ability by scoring four goals and dishing out one assist, all while maintaining an impressive pass accuracy of 82.9%.
These are all characteristics that would make Hughes a great acquisition for any team looking to sign him. The 20-year-old has been linked to Brentford, West Ham and Ipswich Town by The I, and it’s unlikely that interest in the England youth international will wane over the summer.
Although Maloney’s team would prefer to hang onto their academy graduate, they will surely be difficult to resist if a Premier League team makes an approach.
Sam Tickle
One of the Latics’ youth academy standouts who is currently a regular on the first team at Brick Community Stadium is undoubtedly Sam Tickle.
At Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium, the Young Lions defeated Luxembourg 7-0 in March, and the custodian maintained a perfect record on his debut with the England Under-21s.
Having played all 46 League One games, he has maintained a perfect record of 15 clean sheets while playing in goal for Maloney’s team.
Tickle’s talent suggests there will be no shortage of transfer options, but it will be difficult to pry him away from Brick Community Stadium after the Latics announced on Thursday afternoon that he had inked a new contract keeping him there until 2028.
Everton has reportedly taken notice of the 22-year-old’s exploits, as reported by The Athletic. Alan Nixon of Patreon has also connected Sunderland to the ace.
Due to the presence of England star Jordan Pickford, it is unlikely that Tickle, a current Latics player, will play first team football with the Merseyside team right away if he signs with the Toffees.
A transfer to the Black Cats, however, might depend on what happens to current top player Anthony Patterson, 24, as the Newcastle Chronicle reports that Liverpool is interested in him.
Like Hughes, Maloney and company will be prepared to keep Tickle on staff, but considering the prominent transfer ties, this might be a difficult task.
However, if Tickle moves to Goodison Park, the Latics might move quickly to bring him back to Brick Community Stadium on loan. Given Pickford’s obvious first-choice status, Everton might be open to this arrangement.
However, with the goalkeeper’s contract extension, the Latics might now demand an inflated transfer fee, which could tempt both the Black Cats and the Toffees to look elsewhere.
Thelo Aasgaard
Thelo Aasgaard is a fan favourite of the Latics, and while he may not have as many outside admirers as Hughes and Tickle, his impressive 2023–2024 League One season could make him a target for other teams this summer.
The 2023–24 League One season was the most productive season for the Norway Under-21 international in front of goal to date, with eight goals and three assists.
While the Latics were in administration during the 2020–21 season, he made his debut as a first team member and has since developed into one of Wigan’s top players.
Aasgaard’s ability to score incredible goals from outside the area has long been appreciated by Greater Manchester United supporters, but under Maloney’s guidance, he has discovered his poacher instinct.
During the 2023–24 season, the academy product demonstrated his versatility by playing as a false nine in addition to an attacking midfielder. This could make him a desirable transfer target.
Though Aasgaard signed a contract with Wigan that lasts until 2028, Maloney will be keen to keep one of his star players, and with profits for Hughes and Tickle looking likely, the Latics should be able to hold onto him.
