Following an incredibly successful 2015/16 campaign which saw Wigan storm to the League One title, Latics boss Gary Caldwell is looking to make a series of additions to his squad before they embark on their 2017 season in the Championship.
Having been the busiest club in the transfer window during 2015, Wigan will be hoping for a noticeably quieter summer period this time round, whilst still being able to make key and quality signings in order to remain competitive in the Championship.
“We’re probably looking at bringing in four or five new players,” commented the Latics boss when speaking to the Wigan Evening Post.
Caldwell will likely be looking to boost a relatively thin striking corp, which suffered the double blow of relinquishing young talents Haris Vuckic and Conor McAleny, following the expiration of their loan deals at the end of the season.
In his second season as Latics boss, Caldwell will be eager to find star striker and viral sensation Will Grigg an attacking partner to tackle the rough and determined defences in the Championship.
However, whilst fans of the Lancashire club will be focused on potential incomings, Caldwell himself is expecting to have to thwart interest from rival clubs looking to purchase Wigan’s star players that featured in The Latics’ title winning 2016 season.
“I think when you’re successful, other clubs start to look at your players,
“At this time we haven’t had any interest in any of our players, but I am expecting that will come because when the players do as well as they did last year, other clubs are going to start looking.”
Wigan have already completed one signing before the official beginning of the new season, securing the permanent addition of well-travelled defender Stephen Warnock.
The former England international initially joined on a loan deal until the end of the 2015/16 season from Championship promotion hopefuls Derby, playing an integral role in Wigan’s surge to promotion in the months of March, April and May.
Another name linked with a switch to the DW Stadium in this early stage of the transfer season is veteran striker Danny Graham, who’s also garnered interest from a number of other second division sides.