Why Wigan Athletic should sign Connor Wickham on loan
According to the Chronicle Live, Sunderland are interested in signing Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham on loan.
Over the past few years, Connor Wickham, 25, has found himself on the sidelines several times due to various injuries. But now back from a nasty knee injury, the 25-year-old is slowly building his match fitness with cameo appearances in the Premier League.
Now Sunderland want to re-sign Connor Wickham, who impressed during his four-year stay at the Stadium of Light, having joined from Ipswich Town back in 2011. The Black Cats will have to persuade the forward to re-join them to boost their League One title challenge but it looks highly unlikely Wickham will drop down to League One for the rest of the 2018/19 campaign.
That said, Wigan Athletic must beat Sunderland for the signature of the 25-year-old forward.
Wigan Athletic have started to find life difficult in the Championship of late, with manager Paul Cook coming under intense pressure for his team’s poor run of results. The Latics started the campaign well but injuries to key players as well as poor form have made things a little itchy at the DW Stadium.
Reinforcements are indeed required at the club and more than anything, Cook needs a striker to partner Will Grigg. Grigg enjoyed a fantastic 2017/18 season in the League One, scoring 19 goals and firing Wigan to the League One title. But the Northern Irish marksman has failed to replicate his form in the Championship, thereby leaving Cook’s team blunt in the attack and short of goals this season.
Signing Wickham on loan could see Cook get the best out of Grigg. Wickham is a strong, burly centre-forward who excels in hold-up play and aerial play.
However, it’s not just his goals that would make him valuable for Wigan as it’s the Hereford-born ace’s ability to combine brilliantly with his teammates that makes him tick. He not only does the job offensively but also goes over and above when his side is defending, making him a valuable asset.
Having Wickham would give Grigg the opportunity to make runs behind the opposition backline and stretch the game. Grigg’s attacking intelligence is second to none and so is his movement in the attacking third.
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Wickham needs regular opportunities to build his fitness and Wigan should provide it. And once the former Ipswich Town marksman is back to his full fitness, he could fire the Latics to safety.