Wigan Athletic had a successful 2023/24 League One season, landing a top-half finish against the odds, after beginning the campaign on -8 points.
Due to a transfer embargo that spanned each of the last two transfer windows, Shaun Maloney has had to instill his faith in the Latics’ youth academy products, who have starred for the first team this term.
Academy graduates such as Norway under-21 starlet Thelo Aasgaard, England youth international Charlie Hughes, and Wigan-born Scott Smith have all impressed this campaign, but arguably the team’s most exciting prospect is goalkeeping sensation Sam Tickle.
Due to his impressive achievements at the DW Stadium, Tickle was called up to Lee Carsley’s England under-21 team. In March, he made his Young Lions debut, playing flawlessly as the team destroyed Luxembourg 7-0 at Bolton Wanderers’ Toughsheet Community Stadium.
In League One, the 22-year-old has also played well all season long, keeping 15 clean sheets in the third tier, which is the sixth-highest total in the league.
Tickle’s achievements have understandably drawn interest from clubs looking to sign him. The Athletic reported in January, just after he made an impression in an FA Cup third-round match against Manchester United, that Everton and other Premier League teams were considering signing him.
Meanwhile, Alan Nixon claims that Sunderland, a Championship team, and Birmingham City are both interested in the Latics shot-stopper.Maloney, the manager of Wigan, may so be searching for a new custodian this transfer.
Cheltenham Town goalkeeper could be strong Tickle successor
Cheltenham Town may have been relegated back to League Two after a three-year stint in the third tier, but shot-stopper Luke Southwood was a shining light in a struggling team.
The former Reading man kept 10 clean sheets, and according to FotMob, the 26-year-old boasted a save percentage of 68.5% after making 137 saves from 199 shots faced.
In addition, Southwood has the ability to remain composed under duress, as evidenced by the fact that he saved four of the eight penalties he faced in League One in the 2023–2024 season.
Undoubtedly, Tickle is a difficult player to replace, but considering his stellar play for a team that has since been demoted, the Robins ‘keeper would be a decent fit.
The Latics can capitalise on the Robins’ woes
Journalist Jon Palmer reported that Southwood, who feels he has proven himself at League One level after his side’s relegation, will be a free agent this summer after declining a contract offer. The Latics can take advantage of this circumstance in the event that Tickle leaves.
Moreover, having progressed through the Royals’ academy system, the Northern Ireland international earned 26 Championship games during his tenure at Reading.
The Latics will definitely be negatively impacted by Tickle’s somewhat expected exit, but Southwood, who has a decent League record and has played senior international football, could be a suitable substitute.
Journalist Jon Palmer reported that Southwood, who feels he has proven himself at League One level after his side’s relegation, will be a free agent this summer after declining a contract offer. The Latics can take advantage of this circumstance in the event that Tickle leaves.
Moreover, having progressed through the Royals’ academy system, the Northern Ireland international earned 26 Championship games during his tenure at Reading.
The Latics will definitely be negatively impacted by Tickle’s somewhat expected exit, but Southwood, who has a decent League record and has played senior international football, could be a suitable substitute.
On the last day of the season, Southwood suffered a broken leg in the first half of his team’s 2-1 loss to Stevenage. Despite this setback, the Latics may still decide to sign Southwood because they will likely need to acquire two goalkeepers this summer because Ben Amos, their current backup, is out of contract.
The summer transfer window is important for the Latics
With the Greater Manchester team no longer bound by the previous transfer embargo, Maloney will be aiming to bolster the team’s roster at the DW Stadium this summer.
The ‘Tics should start by finding a successor for Tickle in light of the interest shown in the starlet. If they can have a successful window overall, a 2024–25 play-off challenge may be in the works.
The Latics would have placed in 10th place and fallen eight points short of the top six if not for their eight-point deduction. This implies that, should they manage to settle their differences this summer, qualifying for the playoffs is a feasible goal for the upcoming campaign.
