Money to spend on '˜the right player' - Caldwell

But the Latics boss will also be scouring the market for ‘the best value we can find’ as he constructs a squad to compete in the Championship.

Last season, Caldwell was the busiest manager in world football, shipping out and bringing in a brand new squad after relegation to League One.

Despite the upheaval, Latics succeeded in regaining their second-tier status at the first attempt, and Caldwell’s task now is to ensure the squad is better equipped to cope this time.

He will once again be back in the transfer market by chairman David Sharpe. But with only one more year of parachute payments, he’s desperate to get value for money.

“I think there’s always money to spend, on the right player,” Caldwell told the Evening Post. “And we’ve tried to identify young players, who we feel we can improve and add value to.

“But we also have to be sensible, and look for value in players who are free and also available for loan.

“We’re working hard on all those fronts to be able to attract the quality that will help the already-strong group we have here.”

Caldwell has already twice splashed out seven figures on a player, to bring in Will Grigg last summer and Yanic Wildschut midway through the campaign.

But it was his eye for a bargain – not least the free signing of Player of the Year David Perkins – that proved to be just as important in Wigan’s success last term.

“You don’t have to spend big money, you don’t have to sign big names, to bring in quality to the club,” the Latics boss added.

“Look at David Perkins, the first signing of last summer, who came on a free and proved to be a fabulous signing.

“We’re just looking to get the best players we can for the best value we can.”

Caldwell is closing in on his first signing of the summer, with Stephen Warnock – who spent the second half of last term at the DW on loan – expected to kick things off.