Wigan Athletic are pushing to re-sign Newcastle United defender Kell Watts on loan again, though a host of League One sides are also said to be interested.
Newcastle United man Watts linked up with Wigan Athletic for the 2021/22 campaign and became a firm favourite among supporters.
While he wasn’t necessarily a nailed-on starter, his performances endeared him to the DW Stadium faithful. The Alnwick-born centre-back played 35 times for the Latics across all competitions, helping keep 13 clean sheets in his 26 League One appearances.
Now, ahead of the new season, it has been claimed Watts is back on Wigan Athletic‘s radar.
Darren Witcoop has claimed that Leam Richardson and co are pushing to bring the defender back on loan after the Magpies opened the door for him to leave on loan. It is said that there is competition from League One teams though as he prepares for a fifth EFL loan of his career.
Newcastle defender Kell Watts will been given the green light to leave on loan with Wigan pushing to re-sign the defender. Interest as well from a host of League One clubs #wigan #nufc
— Darren Witcoop (@DarrenOWitcoop) June 29, 2022
Ready for a Championship test?
Watts now has a solid base of EFL experience. His time out on loan has seen him notch up 70 League One appearances and after strong spells with both Plymouth Argyle and Wigan Athletic, the Championship seems the logical next step.
The 22-year-old will be determined to prove he’s ready for second-tier football but both the player and parent club Newcastle United’s priority should be ensuring he heads somewhere that can offer him regular game time.
Left-footed centre-backs are a sought-after commodity in modern football with managers keen on recruiting defenders that can operate in either a back three or a back two, so it comes as no surprise to see Watts drawing interest after an impressive season at the DW.