Jack Byrne has made his loan deal at Oldham a permanent one after Wigan announced that he had left for an undisclosed fee. 4:59pm 15th January 2018
The Irish midfielder ended his brief tenure at the DW Stadium after only making two substitute appearances – both of which under the lacklustre management campaign of Warren Joyce.
Byrne has spent the first half of this season on loan at Boundary Park, impressing in his 25 appearances – finding the net 7 times in the process – and spurring Oldham manager Richie Wellens to sign the 21-year-old permanently.
Jack Byrne failed to feature much at all for Wigan but has made a much bigger impact for Oldham.
Former Premier League striker James Vaughan has signed an 18-month contract at the DW Stadium for an undisclosed fee. 2:34pm 12th January 2018
The 29-year-old netted 24 times last season for Bury, landing him in the division’s Team of the Year and securing a move to Sunderland.
Whilst his tenure didn’t work out at the Stadium of Light, manager Paul Cook feels Vaughan can be hugely beneficial for the Latics:
“James brings added experience and firepower to our group and I am excited to work with him.
“This time last year, James was amongst the leading goal-scorers in this division and I think it speaks volumes of the club that we have been able to bring him here.”
Vaughan will wear the recently vacated number 8 shirt and is eligible to play this Saturday against Peterborough United – a side he scored 4 goals against in a fixture against Posh last season.
Latics’ new number 8 confirming signing for the League One leaders.
Sunderland striker James Vaughan is on the verge of signing for Wigan Athletic, according to manager Chris Coleman and the Sunderland Echo. 10:57am 12th January 2018
The 29-year-old former Everton striker has had a rather torrid tenure at the Stadium of Light, only scoring 2 goals in 22 games, and with the Black Cats languishing at the foot of the Championship, Chris Coleman is looking for change.
“James sees himself playing elsewhere, I don’t think it has worked great here” The Welsh manager said.
“Everybody hoped it would have gone differently, there is a conversation going on right now with both clubs.
“I have said before about letting him leave the building before we have something to fall back on but it has got to the stage where it is pretty serious that he could go.”
The fee is thought be be undisclosed if the signing is announced and Vaughan could provide cover for Will Grigg after Ivan Toney’s departure two days ago.
The Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer has played for 9 different clubs so far in his career.
Wigan Athletic have announced Ivan Toney has been recalled by his parent club Newcastle United. 4:40pm 10th January 2018
Newcastle have recalled the 21-year-old striker from his loan at the League One leaders after Toney had scored 6 goals from 18 appearances in all competitions this season. After an impressive start to his loan at Wigan and racking up some minutes on the pitch, his parent club may have felt he wasn’t getting enough game time recently and subsequently recalled him to have another attacking option in their ranks.
That’s the second loan deal at the Latics to be abruptly cut short in one day, maybe spurring Paul Cook to bring in some more loanees as replacement or cover. Wigan are reportedly looking to bring in a specific young Premier League player on loan for the rest of the season and face stern competition from Notts County.
Toney celebrating his goal away at Oldham.
The club announces that Lee Evans has been recalled by Wolves and will sign permanently for Sheffield United. 3:45pm 10th January 2018
The midfielder has been vital for the Latics over the last half season but Wigan will have to go the rest of their promotion push without the Welsh cog running the middle of the park, a cog that had already racked up 7 assists this season.
The transfer fee is thought to be around £750,000, out of the Latics’ price range, and Sheffield United’s acquisition should be announced very soon.
On the matter, Paul Cook commented: “Lee Evans has been brilliant for us, we thank him for his efforts throughout his time here and wish him well in the future.”
Official announcement from the club’s Twitter account.
Wigan Athletic are rumoured to have sent a bid to Tranmere Rovers for 19-year-old left back Eddie Clarke. 6:32pm 8th January 2018
The pacey full back has played 10 times this season, being ever-present for the National League side since late October and quickly establishing himself at the left side of the defence.
It is unknown the size of the fee and Tranmere Rovers have refused to comment on the matter.
Eddie Clarke in a pre-match friendly against Liverpool.
Scottish midfielder Jamie Walker has completed his move to Wigan Athletic from Hearts for an undisclosed fee, the club’s Twitter account announced, signing a 2-and-a-half year contract. 4:05pm 8th January 2018
The 24-year-old, who had been linked with a move away from Tynecastle Park for the past few months, chose Wigan over transfer rivals Rangers and Blackburn Rovers for a fee believed to be around £300,000. The Scotsman has signed a contract that keeps him at Wigan until the summer of 2020.
The versatile midfielder, who can play on the wing or in the central attacking midfielder position, will wear the number 7 sgirt for the Latics, a number last worn by Alex Gilbey who departed in the summer.
Walker had this to say upon arriving at the DW Stadium: “I am grateful for the opportunity and excited by the challenge.
“The team are flying high at the top of the table and hopefully going to the Championship – hopefully I can get into the team and contribute a few goals.”
Walker could possibly be a replacement for the departing Lee Evans, who is being recalled by Wolves.
Wigan Athletic’s talisman Nick Powell is reportedly set to reject Aston Villa and sign a new deal at the DW Stadium if the long-running Far East takeover is completed, a friend of his has allegedly told Sun Sport. 1:33pm 7th January 2018
Nick Powell has averaged a goal every 145 minutes this season and has contributed in more match-winning goals than any other player in the league.
According to the tabloid paper, the 23-year-old told friends that he’s willing to stay on at the League One leaders, and seemingly wants a pay increase in his new contract, but the club will have to wait for the takeover to be greenlit by the Football League before Powell can snub Steve Bruce and Aston Villa.
Powell has been essential for Latics’ table-topping half-season so far and has contributed with his 12 goals in all competitions, leading to interest from the Midlands club who are currently sat in 5th in the Championship. In a squad with little major causes for concern in terms of bringing players in, keeping a key player like Powell could be the biggest triumph of the window.
Some news outlets have reported that the takeover by the Asian syndicate could be cleared by the Football League some time this month, although little is known by the company itself – speculated to be the K8 gambling company. Depending on if and when the takeover does eventually happen, Nick Powell’s future at Wigan Athletic hangs in the balance.
Wolves are recalling ever-present midfielder Lee Evans to sell him to Sheffield United. 11:40am 7th January 2018
Evans has been a major part of Latics’ promotion push this season.
Evans, who has been a cog in the Latics’ midfield and a huge factor to why Wigan are sitting atop of League One, is being recalled by the Midlands club in the hope of pressuring a more permanent arrangement – but with the estimated value of £750,000 being out of the league leaders’ price range, Evans looks set to make the move to the Championship side.
The Welshman is currently leading the pack for Wigan in terms of assists, racking up 7 in the first half of the season, and many Latics fans will agree that it is a huge blow to the side.
Evans’ departure does however make room for Max Power and even Shaun MacDonald to fit into the starting eleven, the latter of which has only just returned from a critical broken leg he sustained at the end of last season.
Highly sought-after Heart of Midlothian midfielder Jamie Walker is reported to be in Wigan for his medical with the League One leaders, an abundance of sources report. 12:34pm 5th January 2018
Jamie Walker is in Wigan to complete his move to the DW Stadium.
The 24-year-old Scotsman, who can play both naturally on the wing and as a central attacking midfielder, had an ensemble of clubs chasing for his signature including Rangers and fellow League One club Blackburn Rovers but the Latics’ offer must have been the most attractive.
The fee is rumoured to be in the region of £300,000 with Hearts’ initial request of midfielder Jack Byrne going in the other direction towards the Edinburgh club seemingly not coming to fruition. One obstacle to overcome to get the transfer over the line is the medical tests on his injured knee, although that’s not expected to slow proceedings too significantly.
Walker, who is an Edinburgh native, netted 12 times and made three assists in the 16/17 season, helping Hearts to 5th in the Scottish Premiership and his 14 year association, making 143 senior appearances in that time, at the club has left him in high stead among the crowds at Tynecastle Park.
This transfer news comes after Paul Cook admitted that he’s not against bringing “one or two” new faces to the DW stadium this January window, and the addition of a pacey, versatile midfielder into an already commanding and fruitful squad should be met with open arms.
If the transfer goes ahead as planned, Walker could make his debut as early as Wigan’s next League One clash at home to Peterborough.
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