This weekend, Wigan Athletic will have to get ready for what could be Sam Tickle’s farewell match as Sunderland and Birmingham City square off.
- This season has been pivotal for Wigan Athletic, with goalkeeper Sam Tickle emerging as a standout player.
- With interest from Sunderland and Birmingham City, Saturday’s match could be Tickle’s final game at Wigan.
- Despite his contract running until 2026, Wigan may need to consider offers for Tickle if his valuation is met.
As Bristol Rovers prepare to visit the DW Stadium for their final game of the season, Wigan Athletic will be getting ready.
Considering the conditions the Latics faced prior to the first ball being kicked, they have had a pretty remarkable campaign.
The club has struggled on the pitch in the last few years due to ownership, so this League One campaign was different from the others in that Wigan had to make sure they quickly returned to parity and avoided the relegation zone.
Shaun Maloney has accomplished this, and what’s even more amazing is that he did it with a team that lacked much experience.
Sam Tickle, the club’s goalkeeper, who is in his first full season and has been outstanding, is at the centre of that. He is so good that teams like Birmingham City and Sunderland are interested in him.
That interest hasn’t diminished, and since Wigan’s final game of the season is this Saturday, the club may have to prepare for the possibility that it will be the player’s last farewell, as a summer transfer could happen.
Sunderland and Birmingham City hold an interest in Sam Tickle
The news that Preston and Birmingham City were interested in Wigan custodian Sam Tickle first surfaced in January, indicating that the custodian was drawing interest from Championship teams.
Of course, neither club was able to close a deal, but with the summer transfer window quickly approaching, it’s possible they have been keeping a watch on the shotstopper.
Following the initial reports earlier this month that the Black Cats were also keeping an eye on the player, Sunderland joined these two clubs.
Anthony Patterson is the Black Cats’ outstanding number one custodian right now, but it appears the team is considering alternatives in case Patterson’s valuation is matched this summer.
Tickle has therefore caught their attention after making an impression in his breakthrough season with the League One team.
Saturday could be Sam Tickle’s last game for Wigan amid Sunderland and Birmingham City interest
As previously stated, Sam Tickle’s 2023–24 season has been his breakthrough year as the team’s starting custodian and he hasn’t missed a single league match.
Tickle had only made two appearances for Wigan prior to this season, in the Championship and the EFL Trophy.
Therefore, it would be easy to forget that this is the player’s first full season of English football given how well he has played this season.
As previously mentioned, Tickle has participated in all 45 of the Latics’ League One games; in that time, he has allowed 56 goals and maintained 14 clean sheets.
At three saves per game on average, Tickle has made 136 saves, which is a significant contribution to the team’s rapid ascent out of the relegation zone.
Additionally, Tickle is only giving up 1.2 goals per game, and according to Sofascore.com, his performances have earned him a spot on the team of the week once.
His first call-up to the England under-21 squad came about as a result of his performances for Wigan, so he’s clearly doing the right thing and drawing attention from a lot of people.
This season, the Latics swiftly eliminated themselves from danger, but it was too much to allow them to enter the playoffs. As a result, the team will play in League One the following season. Although Tickle might not mind staying, this Saturday might be his last game with the team.
This is due to the 22-year-old’s contract, which expires in 2026. If he declines a new extension, Wigan might be obliged to accept an offer if one is made.
Next season, Sunderland will play in the Championship; Birmingham has yet to confirm their spot, but if the Blues do too, that means two lower-tier teams could be vying for a League One player.
Even though Wigan does not want to lose Tickle, they will have a demand for the custodian, and if it is fulfilled, they might have to sell him this summer.
