Wigan Athletic star knows he's playing for his future - 'That's a big part of the plan'

And with his Home Park contract up at the end of the season - and the Pilgrims seemingly not interested in recalling him in January - he is determined to stake a claim for a long-term deal.

"I'm loving it up here, loving playing for Wigan," he said. "The training ground's amazing, all the lads and staff are really good and I'm enjoying my football.

"I haven't got a single bad word to say about any aspect of it so far.

"On a personal note, I love being back up north...it was nice down south, but this is close to home.

"I haven't been up here so much during my career, since I was about 15/16, and it is nice to be back home.

"It's being back with friends and family...even just being able to nip round to my mum's for dinner, it's something I've missed in recent years.”

Huyton-born Wright admits he's relishing working under Ryan Lowe at the Brick.

"The gaffer's very good...clear, clear messages...and a fellow scouser which is always nice," he said.

"Scousers tend to get on with other scousers, don't they...that's always made a big difference with me personally.

"I like working with other scousers and at the moment it's all going well.

"I know exactly what he wants from me. The role he wants me to play is what I grew up playing, and I'm enjoying being here."

As for being in the ‘shop window’, Wright continued: "For sure, that's a big part of the plan from both sides.

"I wanted to hit the ground running at Wigan, to prove I should be here, and help the club and the gaffer get to where they want to be.

"Once you're in the team, you'll do everything you can to keep hold of the shirt."

With Latics now unbeaten in nine matches, things are coming together on the field.

"We went through a bit of a bad patch a couple of months ago, three or four games," acknowledged Wright. "But we've brushed that under the carpet and we're on a good run.

"We feel a few of those draws could have been wins, but we're moving up the table and going in the right direction.

"It's a crucial stage of the season, the league starts opening up in December with the number of fixtures, and hopefully we can keep it going."

Plymouth boss Tom Cleverley - who sanctioned Wright's switch to Wigan last summer - was asked recently whether Wright or any of the other players out on loan would be recalled next month.

"Had we have had the power of hindsight and knew how serious our injury problems would be, would we be having different conversations in the summer? Maybe,” said Cleverley, who spent the 2010/11 campaign on loan with Latics from Manchester United.

"Those guys would have been frustrated with the game time they would have got had everyone been fit.

"The plan at the minute is not to bring those guys back, but there are certainly conversations we have been having at the possibility of it.

"To be honest, these are early-stage conversations. My focus is completely on the team we’ve got in the building right now."