Wigan Athletic starlet being tracked by FIVE Premier League clubs after rise to stardom

The 21-year-old was given the No.1 jersey by Shaun Maloney, despite having made only one league appearance - the final game of last term against Rotherham..

However, his fine form in pre-season, and in the opening two games at Derby in the league and Wrexham in the Carabao Cup, has already been noticed up the food chain.

Latics are sure to fight any attempt to take Tickle, who only signed a new three-year deal four months ago.

Boss Shaun Maloney - who only arrived at the club in January - had already earmarked him by that point for a big future.

"I knew within about four weeks of being here that Sam, I wouldn't say nailed on, but that I would be giving him every opportunity to be No.1," Maloney said earlier this month.

"I really wanted to see how he'd do at the end of last season, when he played against Rotherham, when we had the pay issue.

"So I knew maybe by the beginning of March that we had a special goalkeeper on our hands.

"What's hard is that he didn't have any league experience before, only loan spells at a lower level.

"I still know he'll have ups and he'll have downs, because this is his first real run as a No.1 goalie.

"But he was very good today and we're delighted with him."

The 21-year-old signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2021, having been with Latics since 2012.

He spent time out on loan at Nantwich Town and Warrington Rylands prior to his ascent into the Latics first-team set-up.

Speaking earlier this summer, Maloney admitted he'd seen in Tickle 'attributes that clubs pay big money for'.

"Yeah, he's ready, he's ready to push for that No.1 jersey," Maloney said.

"I won't have any guaranteed starter, I'll let football make that decision every week.

"But Sam's been very good since I've been here.

"He's got attributes that clubs pay big money for.

"He's an amazing shot-stopper first and foremost, and he has a brilliant temperament.

"He needs to work on his short passing, but the ability he has with his long kicking is ridiculous.

"He will get caught at times, as all goalkeepers do, but we'll give him all the confidence to play his natural game."