Wigan Athletic manager Shaun Maloney has admitted that most of the fee received for striker Josh Stones will be used to offset the club’s losses.
The 21-year-old made the move to National League leaders York City last week for a fee reported to be around £350,000. It was a staggering deal for a club in the fifth tier in English football and is said to be one of the biggest fees paid by a club in non-league.
Stones had previously spent December with Oldham Athletic in order to gain first team minutes. It proved to be a lucrative move, with the attacker scoring four times in six appearances. He returned to his parent club at the beginning of the month with the view to fight for his place at Wigan.
Maloney Shocked By York Bid
Maloney has confirmed that he wanted to reintegrate Stones back into his squad, which has been short on attacking options. However, York came in with a bid which was too good to turn down. Speaking to Wigan Today, the 41-year-old said:
“The interest from York was completely out of the blue. The plan was for him to go to Oldham and come back and be involved against Birmingham (last Saturday).
“Friday was the first time I’d seen him since coming back from Oldham, and York came straight in with an offer.
“We left it up to Stonesey…I would have been really happy for him to come back and fight for a position. But he said he wanted to go to York, and it’s an amazing opportunity for him…and I miss him luck.”
Maloney also admitted that despite receiving the large fee, not much will be able to be reinvested into the playing squad:
“When you look at the figures (losses) we had in the Championship, to cut that in half, and then maybe half again…we’re moving in the right direction.
“But I think most of the money we get for Stonesey will be used to offset losses we have.
“We might be able to use some of it, but not loads…and certainly not in terms of transfer fees…more in terms of wages we can offer.”
Writer’s View
Wigan have already made strides in the transfer market this month. They signed winger Joe Hungbo for an undisclosed fee whilst also bringing in defender Josh Robinson from Arsenal. The income received from the sale of Stones could potentially be used to offset some of that, although Maloney’s admission that it puts them in a position to offer higher wages for any potential incomings is encouraging. Although they allowed the striker to reluctantly depart, it was smart business for a club trying to operate within its means in League One.
Head of Writing
