We reported here on The72 earlier this week that Stoke City were set to complete the signing of Wigan Athletic midfielder Nick Powell soon, and that has seemingly been confirmed by Latics boss Paul Cook.
Wigan Athletic did try to tempt Nick Powell into remaining with the Latics beyond the end of the 2018/19 Championship season, offering him a new contract to try and fend off transfer interest from a number of Championship sides.
However, the former Manchester United man opted against penning a new deal and is now expected to make a move away from the club in the near future. Now, speaking to Sky Sports News (quotes via the Stoke Sentinel) about Powell’s seemingly imminent move to join Nathan Jones, Wigan boss Paul Cook has lauded praise on Powell, wishing him the best for his next steps in his career.
Cook said:
“He was such a popular member of our dressing room and also a great lad. He was certainly a fans’ favourite at Wigan Athletic.
“It does look like he has decided to move on to Stoke and Stoke will be a better team for a player of the calibre of Nick Powell. We certainly wish him all the best for the coming season.”
Powell has been a star player for Wigan Athletic since joining on a free transfer from Manchester United in the summer of 2016 on a free transfer. The 25-year-old has played 140 games for the club, scoring 41 goals and providing 18 assists.
Despite missing around two months of the season from December to February, Powell’s eight goals and seven assists went a long way to helping Wigan secure a place in the Championship for the 2019/20 season.
