Cook keeping eyes peeled

Paul Cook hasn't ruled out adding '˜one or two' players to his squad in the January transfer window as he looks to strengthen his side's grip at the top of League One.

While Latics are riding high in their bid to win promotion back to the Championship, Cook has revealed he has been left short of options on some occasions so far this term, though he insists he isn’t in the market for a star signing.

Latics have had no trouble in scoring goals or keeping clean sheets this season, and the boss has said any additions won’t be to take on leading roles.

“I think where you look at where we are today, I think the squad’s doing great and it would be more support based rather than where you can improve our team,” he said.

“The team is doing magnificently well but at times we’ve been a little bit stretched in numbers, which might surprise a few people, and that depth of squad is what I’d like to improve rather than being able to improve the actual team.”

But Cook insists the players will remain fully focused on their promotion bid amid any transfer speculation.

He said: “January can make lads good and bad, and very restless.

“Agents will do the same with the lads, as I think agents have a massive part in the game now.

“And for agents, lads want to better themselves and different stuff but that’s the way football’s gone. But we try and stay very focused, as we’re here trying to achieve something.”

Cook is also keen to keep the bulk of his squad together, though he hasn’t completely ruled-out any departures.

“If we lose someone along the way, it will be because someone has offered us the right amount of money, and the lad has chosen that he wants to leave, and that’s part and parcel of football,” he explained.

“Hopefully for me, we might add one or two to what we are doing, and we might keep 100 percent of the players that we’ve got. If that’s the case, that’s brilliant, if it’s not the case, we’ll keep focused on what we’re trying to achieve.”

Meanwhile, Latics have been linked with a move for Hearts star Jamie Walker.

Sunderland striker James Vaughan has also been rumoured for a January move to the DW Stadium.

Jack Byrne has returned to Wigan from his loan at Oldham Athletic.