Kapo and De Ridder set for debuts
Published Date:
22 July 2008
Olivier Kapo and Daniel de Ridder are due to make their Latics debuts against Eintracht Frankfurt in Austria tonight.
The midfielder pair, recruited by Steve Bruce from his former club Birmingham, didn't feature in the opening game of the tour – Saturday's 3-0 win over part-timers FC St Veit.
De Ridder was an unused substitute while £2.5m signing Kapo wasn't risked following summer surgery to pin a broken bone in his left hand.
But Bruce is keen to see them in action against the German Bundesliga side in a game being played at Latics' mountainside training camp in Bad Bleiberg.
The Wigan manager said: "Saturday's game came a bit too soon for Kapo.
"He's going to be a great addition to the squad and we'll see if he's ready for today's game, get him some match action.
"I was delighted with how things went against St Veit.
"First and foremost it was a fitness exercise, but it's always nice to win.
"There were a lot of positives to take out of it, and hopefully it will be the same against Frankfurt, which is a step-up for us and a good test."
Tonight's line-up is likely to be a lot stronger than the one Bruce named on Saturday, with key players Emile Heskey, Chris Kirkland, Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valencia among those set to feature.
Heskey has been linked with Greek club Panathinaikos, now managed by former Chelsea coach Henk ten Cate.
But that speculation has been dismissed as 'rubbish' by Latics, with the striker very much part of Bruce's plans this season.
He is set to be partnered by Amr Zaki up front once the Egypt striker's protracted loan move from El Zamalek is completed.
Zaki passed his medical in Wigan last Thursday and is now back in Cairo waiting for his work permit to arrive.
That has been granted, so the move should be completed and registered
by the end of the week.
Latics had hoped to have got it done yesterday, but after all the problems they've encountered with the deal over the last couple of months, club officials aren't worried by this minor delay.
One summer transfer target who won't be heading to the JJB Stadium though, is Rennes centre-half John Mensah.
The Ghana international joined French champions Lyon in a £6.6m deal yesterday, admitting he had turned down offers from both Latics and Portsmouth, opting to stay in France on the advice of his agent.
Bruce had looked at Mensah to strengthen his defence with Paul Scharner yet to agree a new contract and Andreas Granqvist having left to join Dutch club Groningen.
The full article contains 450 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.
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Last Updated:
22 July 2008 9:16 AM
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Source:
Wigan Evening Post
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Location:
Wigan