Shaun Maloney outlines Wigan Athletic transfer strategy ahead of deadline

The Latics boss has brought in 10 players already this summer in the shape of permanent signings Will Aimson, Toby Sibbick, Dion Rankine and Tyrese Francois, loan captures Luke Chambers, Calvin Ramsay, Michael Olakigbe, Silko Thomas and Joe Hugill, as well as new player/goalkeeping coach Andy Lonergan.

However, having lost 14 senior players – Ben Amos, Sean Clare, Tom Pearce, Liam Morrison, Kell Watts, Charlie Goode, Liam Shaw, Jordan Jones, Stephen Humphrys, Martial Godo, Charlie Wyke, Josh Magennis, Charlie Kelman and Hughes – since the end of last term, Maloney is still actively looking for reinforcements.

Having only initially wanted to add an experienced striker, Maloney revealed recently he also wants a 'hard man' figure in midfield.

And with Blackburn reportedly sniffing around Thelo Aasgaard, it could be a hectic next few days.

When asked by Wigan Today if he expected to be busy, Maloney replied: "Yeah I am. I spoke to you a few weeks ago, and it might have been different back then.

"But the way the league games have gone, they've shown me we might need different profiles.

"We played Reading, who last year were a really good football team, and this year their long ball hurt us, and it was the same Charlton. So yeah, I'm expecting to be really busy, we need to be.

"We had eight Academy graduates playing on Saturday, and two lads who'd never played in League One. I want to push this club forward, and we need to make sure we push the squad forward."

Latics recently banked millions following the sale of star defender Charlie Hughes to Hull City.

While Maloney is not actively looking for a like-for-like replacement for the Young England man, he says some of the Hughes money will be made available to him.

"Yeah, there will be," he confirmed. "Even before the season started...I presented maybe six months ago, about how I saw situations like this (Hughes leaving).

"But I would say that it was much easier presenting about the possibility of young players being sold than the reality of it.

"Now it's actually happened, it definitely isn't as positive as I thought...it is tough, you're losing one of your best players. But there will be a percentage that will go back to try to reinvest in the squad.

"It's not a large percentage...and there's also a percentage that will go towards trying to improve the club as a whole.

"Whether that's into the Academy or onto the training ground, which has become really run down since I was here 13 years ago.

"You look around the stadium, and there's rooms that need some work. For all the money that's been spent on this club, the actual infrastructure hasn't been taken care of.

"It's tough, it's really tough, but we do have to find that balance. And I have to say that the chairman and owner have only been completely clear with me.

"They've said: 'This is what we have...if we sell a player, this is what you have...this is the budget. And I've absolutely no issue at all with the chairman and the owner...if anything, it's the opposite, they've been brilliant."