Nottingham Forest have reportedly been linked with Wigan Athletic’s rising talent Thelo Aasgaard after the youngster has impressed with the Latics so far this season.
The Premier League side have reportedly been watching the 22 year old with the expectation that a fee of £3 million would be enough to lure the youngster to Forest. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are rumoured to make a decision on Aasgaard ahead of the January transfer window.
Who is Thelo Aasgaard?
Aasgaard started his career in the Liverpool youth academy but after not making an impact moved to Wigan in 2016 where he has been ever since. Since his move to the Latics, the Liverpudlian has worked his way up through the Wigan ranks.
The 22 year old made his first appearance for the League One side against Peterborough United in 2020 and has since made over 150 appearances for the club, scoring 25 goals. Despite being born in England, Aasgaard is of Norwegian descent, through his father, and represents the national team at youth level having made seven appearances for the under-21s, scoring one goal.
The attacking midfielder is signed onto a contract that runs until June 2026 which suggests why the reported figure of £3 million is the asking price from Wigan. Despite this, therumours suggest that Forest would be looking to top-up their squad going into the second half of the 2024-25 campaign.
What does Aasgaard bring to a side?
When the 22 year old signed his new contract with Wigan last year, his manager Shaun Maloney was quick to praise the ability hehas:
“Thelo is an incredibly talented young player who has come through the Academy. Thelo can play in many different positions”.
“From the day I came in to where we are now, I see a completely different level of player and also see a real leader on the pitch in his own way”.
So far this season, the Norway under 21 international has been Wigan’s standout player. He predominantly plays within an attacking midfield role (number 10) but has the versatility to play on the width of an attacking midfielder or as a false nine.
In League One this season, Aasgaard has made 18 appearances for the Latics and scored five goals. The youngster provides a consistent goal threat for his side having 2.91 shots and 1.23 shots on target per 90 minutes on average with a 64% shot accuracy.
Coupled with this is his ability to link up play between defence and attack with a 79.2% pass accuracy. Aasgaard also has the ability to give Wigan opportunities to score from set pieces with 2.14 fouls won per 90 minutes on average.
The 22 year old provides ball carrying ability with an average of 5.76 duels won per 90 minutes and the opportunity for his side to defend from the front by winning possession in the final third 0.71 times on average and 61.1% of tackles won per 90 minutes.
The Liverpudlian is a crucial part of Wigan’s side this season having scored a third of their goals, a number of which have secured three points. Should Aasgaard move to Forest in January, it could provide a real issue for Wigan in getting results for the rest of this season.
Does a move to Nottingham Forest make sense for Aasgaard?
After their win at Old Trafford last night, Forest currently sit fifth and a European position going into the festive period. The reported interest in Aasgaard is likely to be a move from Forest to add depth to their squad in order to maintain their place in the upper regions of the top flight.
Despite a move to the Premier League being the aspiration for a number of young players in the EFL, this move may not be the best option for Aasgaard. The 22 year old is unlikely to compete with Morgan Gibbs-White for a position in the starting line-up in the attacking midfield role.
At such a young age, the Wigan star should consider the amount of game time as a key factor in a move away from the Brick Community Stadium. The Norwegian youngster is undoubtedly developing and flourishing being the main man at Wigan and set to beat his career-best record that he set last season for goals.
If Aasgaard is keen on a move away from League One and Wigan, then having been linked to Championship clubs, such asBlackburn Rovers, in the summer there will likely be more clubs from the second tier keeping tabs on his performances. A move to a progressive Championship club may be best for the youngster in order to maintain his game time and develop his abilities further.
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