“Three or four” player bids have been made, according to Wigan Athletic manager Shaun Maloney, with more expected to come.
Under Maloney’s direction, Wigan Athletic is hoping to build on a strong first full season.
Due to their points deduction, the Latics were in a difficult situation at the beginning of the season, but they were able to add some fresh players thanks to a summer acquisition. These, together with a few current players and fresh academy talent, helped Wigan develop into a team significantly superior to what their final league position would suggest.
Wigan Athletic finished 12th in the League One standings after starting with a deficit of eight points. They would have finished 10th and just six points outside of the top six without their deduction.
High expectations have been raised for the upcoming season, and work on new hires has already begun.
Latics manager Maloney stated in an interview with Wigan Today that offers have been made for “three or four players.” The same amount is anticipated this week, so they’re not slowing down either.
The supervisor stated:
We’ve already received three or four bids for players, and I expect that number to rise this week. I don’t want to brag too much.
“Our head of recruitment and I haven’t begun our holidays yet. We need to get things done quickly because pre-season is fully scheduled and has been for several weeks.
“I want as many of the new players to train with us on the first day of preseason.” Although it’s laborious, perhaps we can take a break once a few faces have passed through the door.
Maloney continued, saying Wigan Athletic can do “something special” the following season with the correct hires and his own tactical improvement.
Some clubs may take the time to rest up immediately after the end of the season before kicking on with their recruitment work. However, Wigan Athletic are certainly not doing that.
The proactive approach of Maloney and the recruitment team at the DW Stadium can hopefully give them the best chance of starting next season on a high.
Bringing in new players early affords them plenty of time to settle in and work with their new manager and teammates. Not only that, but it perhaps ensures they beat rivals to the chase in pursuit of sought-after players.
The early business puts Wigan Athletic in a good place, so hopefully deals can be wrapped up in the fairly new future.
Wigan Athletic will be another season and another transfer window stronger come the start of the new campaign. Given some of the strides taken forward over the past year, you have to think that puts them in the play-off conversation at the least.
Of course, time will tell just what the coming months bring.
Surprise transfer collapses can’t be foreseen and big assets such as Charlie Hughes and Sam Tickle may well be snapped up by clubs higher up the league. That especially would dent promotion hopes.
Maloney is confident though, and rightly so. The Latics enter this summer in a good spot and their positive approach to recruitment should put them in an even stronger place come the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
