Shaun Maloney praises ‘invaluable’ loan signings and offers insight into their futures with Wigan Athletic

After receiving a transfer embargo for breaching EFL rules on tax payment, Latics have partly relied on the talent of young loanees to avoid relegation from League One.

Wigan Athletic were handed an eight-point deduction at the start of the 2023/24 season, dragging the club into a relegation battle immediately after dropping down from the Championship.

Maloney said: “They’ve been huge. This season, because of the embargo, we’ve relied on loans and free transfers, it’s been invaluable.

“I’ve relied heavily on the loans but hopefully I don’t need as many next season. But that’s OK, it’s where the season was in the summer.”

But Maloney admitted that for some players, the experience has been challenging.

He explained: “It’s been a bit harder for some of the loan boys recently, Kell Watts has had a harder time. Liam Morrison, it was really good to get him back on the pitch this weekend.

“Some of them have had big exposure and then sometimes they’ve found it harder to play, but the loan players have been really good.”

Unfortunately for Latics fans, despite the performances of loan signings impressing Maloney, the 41-year-old suggested that the club may find it difficult to sign any of them permanently.

He said: “I think for some of them I don’t know how realistic it is financially with the wage and the transfer fee in the summer.

“I’m pretty sure our transfer fees are going to be very very small this summer, but we’ll wait and see.”