Wigan Athletic forward makes shock overseas exit - 'brilliant attributes'

The 23-year-old forward was sent off for Latics in Saturday's 4-2 league defeat at Stockport County.

But before he could begin to serve a three-match ban, he crossed the Irish Sea to join up with the League of Ireland champions until the end of their season in November.

Asamoah Jnr knows the league well, having spent time on loan at Waterford before he joined Latics from Fleetwood Town in the summer of 2024.

Speaking to club media, when asked what he will bring to the club, Asamoah Jnr replied: "Speed...tricky...and I feel like I like to have a good end product...someone who likes to excite the fans.

"I want to hit the ground running and hopefully I can impress...I can't wait to get going.

"It was a bit of a hectic move, and it was great to get it over the line.

"Obviously my time at Waterford was short but sweet, I really enjoyed playing in the league, and I felt the fans were very passionate and they care a lot about their football, so it's nice to return.

"Whenever I play, I give 100 per cent, and I feel I bring a different type of quality to the team, and hopefully I can show what I'm about here."

Rovers manager Stephen Bradley confirmed the forward - who has scored three times in 47 appearances for Latics - had been a long-term target.

“The signing has taken some time, there was a lot of back-and-forth with it," Bradley told the Irish Sun. "Maleace has been a target of ours for some time.

“We started watching Maleace during that time with Waterford. He was very good in that period. We tried to get him a number of times since then, but it just didn’t quite happen.

“Some weeks back, it looked like it was on, then it was off, but we’re delighted we got it done yesterday."We were working right up to the deadline to make sure the loan went through, so I am delighted that we got it done.

“He has brilliant attributes that I think will compliment the group and give us a really good balance within the squad with our other recent signing Tunmise Sobowale.

"He has shown many good attributes in this league before at Waterford that we’ve seen on a regular basis.

“Maleace is currently suspended. He was sent off with Wigan over the weekend, I’m not sure whether it’s a two or three-game suspension and that carries over to here.

“But he’s halfway through a season and has been involved in games, so Maleace is definitely ready to go.”

A short Latics statement read: "Wigan Athletic can confirm that forward Maleace Asamoah Jr has joined Shamrock Rovers on loan until the end of the League of Ireland Premier Division season. Maleace joined Latics in August 2024 as a deadline day signing and has made 47 appearances and scored three goals for the club in all competitions. All the best, Maleace!”