Wigan Athletic Face League One Competition For Premier League Star

Wigan Athletic are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Tayo Adaramola on loan ahead of the new League One campaign, according to the South London Press.

The 20-year-old, who primarily operates at left back, spent the second half of last season on loan at Belgian Pro League side RWD Molenbeek. He made 14 appearances for the club who were ultimately relegated, starting 12 times.

Now though, he is subject to interest from the EFL as the South London Press have revealed that Shaun Maloney’s Wigan Athletic are hoping to add the fullback to their already young squad this summer. Fellow League One club Stockport County and Italian Serie B’s Pisa are also said to be keen on the Republic of Ireland U21 international.

His only prior EFL experience came when he made one appearance for Coventry City on loan in 2022/23 before his time at the Sky Blues was abruptly ended as he was recalled by Crystal Palace.

Wigan, who are once again working on a tight transfer budget this summer, are no stranger to utilising loans from the Premier League. Left-back Luke Chambers spent the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with the Latics from Liverpool, making 18 appearances and registering four goal involvements.

Therefore, Adaramola could fill the hole left by Chambers in Maloney’s free-flowing system that encourages risk-taking and passing out from the back, something that may suit a player like him, coming from a Premier League academy.

He could become the Latics’ seventh signing of the window as they prepare to host Charlton Athletic at the Brick Community Stadium on the opening day. Calvin Ramsay and Michael Olakigbe have joined the club in similar loan deals from Liverpool and Brentford respectively.

Writer’s View

Wigan Athletic are a very hard team to predict coming into the 2024/25 League One campaign. At times last season, Maloney had them playing some scintillating football, Jonny Smith’s stunner vs Lincoln City in April being a clear standout. However, with a continued reliance on youth, as they seek long-term financial security for the first time in years, there is some uncertainty ahead of the new season.

Adaramola though is a shrewd acquisition for the style of play Maloney wants to deploy. The 20-year-old has a gifted left foot and even boasted an impressive scoring record during his time in Palace’s youth setup. His desire to get forward and impact the game further up the pitch will excite Latics supporters as they hope to build on a 12th-placed finish from last season. Hence, he could well be a key component of a Wigan team that will be dreaming of a top-six finish in League One.

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