Our panel of Latics observers run the rule over another week...as the new signings continue to arrive on the home front, while the Three Lions attempt to ‘bring it home’ from the other side of the pond...
Matt Auffrey:
The Latics squad have been on the run at Haigh Hall as part of their pre-season preparationsplaceholder image
The Latics squad have been on the run at Haigh Hall as part of their pre-season preparations
In this week’s edition of ‘There’s Always a Wigan Link,’ we celebrate Dan Burn’s heroic cameo against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. What a performance!
When you’re down to 10 men and looking to hold a late lead in the most intimidating atmosphere of the entire tournament, there’s no better addition to your backline than the player who nearly equals a man-and-a-half in stature. Credit to Thomas Tuchel for introducing Big Dan at the perfect point of the match.
It’s pretty crazy to think that it’s been 10 years since he joined Latics on a free from Fulham. His career trajectory from Premier League down to League One, followed by a steady climb that has taken him to the World Cup with England, should serve as a major inspiration to any player who has suffered any type of setback early in their career.
The next Latics defender who could possibly mirror Dan Burn’s ascent to stardom is new signing Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen. He marked the first of three exciting prospects who put pen to paper last week, and will look to make a splash in the EFL after a very successful season-and-a-half with Dunfermline in the Scottish Championship.
Akeel Higgins has also signed permanently from West Brom after impressing Gary Caldwell while on loan at Exeter last season. Our third addition may be the most intriguing one of the bunch as attacking midfielder Hindolo Mustapha joined on loan from Crystal Palace. Watching his academy highlights made me jump out of my seat - and I was already standing up!
Needless to say, I am happy with how our business has progressed over the past week. There has been lots of talk about (a lack of) fees paid and corresponding sell-on fees in our recent deals, but all I care about now is that this new crop of players gives us an improved product on the pitch next season. There are still a few big holes to fill within the squad, but time is still on our side to make the right deals with the right players.
Finally, as the sole American contributor to this column, I suppose I bear some responsibility to touch on the major footballing controversy involving my home nation earlier this week.
While I didn’t agree with the protocol that led to the controversial red card being given in our match against Bosnia, I also thought President Trump’s involvement with the situation was ridiculous and marked a major low point for the United States’ status within the global game.
Two wrongs didn’t make a right here. I selfishly would've still liked to have seen the Yanks win on Monday night, but they probably needed a couple extra players on the pitch to put up a real fight against a Belgian side that clearly had a fire lit underneath them from the first kick.
I didn't lose any sleep over the loss. It has always been 'club over country' for me - meaning I'd rather have Latics win an inconspicuous Tuesday night fixture than see the USA make their deepest World Cup run in decades.
I also don’t blame the greater footballing world for feeling vindicated after the USA bowed out of the competition with a noncompetitive 4-1 loss. I predicted such an exit for the hosts at the end of May, so I’m not surprised by the outcome in the least bit. However, if England beat Norway on Saturday, then they will have surpassed my expectations for the tournament. The path to the final continues to look promising as well.
Even if it is behind closed doors, our first pre-season fixture of the new campaign taking place this Saturday is an exciting development. No matter the result, Caldwell will have plenty to learn about his new group - even if the primary purpose of the match is just to boost fitness.
Nonetheless, we are less than a month away from our trip to Barnsley for the first round of the Carabao Cup. I can only imagine how fast the next few weeks will fly by. In the meantime, I wish everyone a cracking Saturday night!
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Martin Lally:
It’s not like me to be a little premature in my thoughts being an almost 47-year-old seasoned gentleman and 'happy clapper'...which is another story for another day.
That being said, and all jokes aside, I think I did go to early with last week's state of Tics depression. No sooner had I pressed 'send', the Tics got to action with some, yes you heard it correctly, decent little additions to the playing squad. So my hopes of someone like Sam Nombe seem to be a little out of reach, but three young, fresh faces through the door this week have been refreshing.
First through the door was Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen. Possibly the least Scottish name I’ve ever heard for the Under-21’s captain from up north, but some young leadership added at the back.
I don’t know anything about him and not seen many highlights, but a young captain at the back is a good addition for me, and reminds me of young skippers in our backline who have come before yet moved onto greater things such as Messers James and Hughes (made up by the way to see Charlie in the Prem next term!).
A lot has been made of this new transfer policy we also seem to have adopted, where we pay nothing up front for players but the sell-on is where the original club makes money. This can only tell you that these young men must have some form of chance of someday demanding a high transfer fee.
We have also seen one of our own leave the glamour of the Premier League for the history of PNE in Alfie Devine, with a cool quarter of a million pounds heading into Mike Danson's back pocket again. A lot of this previous work is, of course, credited to Jonathan Jackson. Oh, how different the Wigan Athletic story could have been…
The next through the door also seems to be on the Klarna - buy now and the pay comes later - list in the form of Akeel Higgins from West Bromwich Albion. Akeel seems pacey, certainly seems to have an eye for goal and, having already tasted League One, could certainly become important for us next year. I like pace up front, my favourite all-time combination being Nathan Ellington and Jason Roberts.
It seems West Brom were in 'Majestic Glass' mood this week - if you bought one, you got one for free - with Higgins being followed up the M5/M6 by Hindolo Mustapha. This time, though, a loan from Crystal Palace, but having spent some of last season at West Brom.
Gary Caldwell described him as an 'off-your-seat'-type player. Hope the gaffer has got it right! I found myself somewhat excited again at the prospect.
The Haigh Woodland run was a brilliant community event, as we all scrolled pictures for new faces, especially the more rotundly-challenged like myself. But we do have a missing person report to submit, as it appeared our new goalkeeper was also on display, but at the time of writing still hasn’t put pen to paper...still a very gaping hole to fill.
How could I not finish this week by writing about that England performance in the Azteca, Mexico City. I was up at 01:58am, just in time to see the team-sheets before kick-off, and what a night it was. They are doing it again though…
I’m starting to believe the hurt could finally be over, but the next week or so is such a long way away just yet. I love the Tics, but I’m also such a passionate Englishman, and my country will always mean so much to me no matter how they break me.
That performance is the best I’ve ever seen them play, as they finally look like they have a manager who can get the best tune out of whatever is required of the players to win the game.
It will be tough on Saturday against Haaland and the Norwegian rowers, but I always thought the last two would be the hardest, and then it would go to whether you can just bring the best you for three games of football. It’s the hope that really kills you…
Up the ‘it’s been a much more positive week’ Tics!
Sean Livesey:
The 2026 summer transfer window seems to have burst in to life for Wigan Athletic. Despite the usual hysterical reaction of many online, Gary Caldwell and the recruitment team seems to have been going about their business quietly and effectively.
Last week saw a glut of arrivals as Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Akeel Higgins and Hindolo Mustapha joined up. The first two on permanent deals from Dunfermline and West Bromwich Albion respectively, while Hindolo joins from Crystal Palace on loan. And all three represent exactly the sort of signing you would be hoping we would make.
Chilokoa-Mullen in particular comes highly rated. Already at just 22 years of age he's captained both Dunfermline Athletic and Scotland Under-21s. He's been part of a strong Dunfermline defence, which will no doubt have attracted Latics to him. But equally his youth career - having come through the ranks at Liverpool and then Leeds, playing alongside Sonny Perkins - shows his pedigree.
Then there's Higgins, described as having lightning pace, who turned down a contract extension at the Hawthorns to sign for Latics. In doing so re-uniting with Caldwell, for whom he played at Exeter last season, making 31 appearances and scoring two goals. The fact West Brom have insisted on a sell-on clause being inserted into his deal shows they think there's potential for him to go higher.
Speaking of potential, the arrival of Mustapha from Crystal Palace can be filed in that category. He's had quiet loan deals at FC Nurnberg and West Brom, but Caldwell seems convinced he can get the best out of him. Latics certainly aren't adverse to getting the best out of players that others have written off and, adding these lads to the previous arrivals, the squad is beginning to shape.
We know we're a different club from the one Caldwell led to that first League One title back in 2016. But over a decade later, there are reasons for optimism, not least those buying into this latest project.
It's important to remember where we are as a club these days. But there's still a big slice of the 92 who would give anything to be in our position. As the transfer window continues, let's see if we can build a squad capable of showing that faith isn't misplaced.
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