Wigan Athletic new-boy wants to rekindle Manchester United connection

The 26-year-old, who joined Latics from Watford on a season-long loan, was named on the bench for the first time in midweek against West Brom.

After taking time to find his feet and improve his fitness, he's now targeting match minutes as Latics bid to consolidate in the Championship.

And he's hoping his former Old Trafford Academy colleague Will Keane will help to make that process as smooth as possible.

"I obviously already know Will's game, and it's exciting to have the prospect of working with him," he said.

"I think our games are well suited to working together, and I'm looking forward to getting that understanding and link-up going.

"He's a really, really good player, and to have someone like that alongside, I'm obviously hoping it's going to help my game as well.

"It's all credit to the Manchester United youth system, the number of players they produce for not just the first team but also other clubs.

"I think that comes from the education and the grounding there.

"And you'll see the majority of teams in the EFL and even Premier League have players who have come through at one point."

Keane has reinvented himself at Wigan since joining during the summer of 2020.

He's scored more goals during his two years here than the rest of his career in total, and Fletcher wants to follow in his footsteps.

"Yeah, 100 per cent, I'm at a place now where I haven't played as many games over the last few years as I would have liked," said Fletcher, who’s spent time with Barnsley, West Ham, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and even New York Red Bulls in the MLS since leaving United in the summer of 2016.

"For me, that's unacceptable, and something I want to put right.

"I'm 26 years old now, and I can't afford to waste any more time.

"When Wigan came to me and presented the opportunity, and I spoke to the manager, I felt it was an absolute no-brainer."