Wigan Athletic starlet hoping to take his chance at Bradford

Latics travel across the Pennines to face the Bantams hoping to fine-tune their preparations for the big opener against Cardiff, now just a fortnight away.

Bradford’s attack will be spearheaded by new signing James Vaughan, one of 13 Latics first-team squad men to leave this summer.

That huge turnover left Joe Garner as the only senior frontman on Wigan’s books, with Lang, 20, also coming into the equation after a successful season on loan last term with Oldham.

With Paul Cook’s attempts to land a new striker before the August 8 transfer deadline so far proving fruitless, Lang knows there’s an opportunity for him to save his manager the hassle – and a lot of money.

“There’s a big opportunity for me and a few others this weekend,” he told the Wigan Post.

“There might be players still to come in, there might not – but either way I’ve just got to keep working hard, doing the right things and being ready if required.

“If you can prove yourself in these games, who knows where it can take you.”

Latics remain in the race to sign West Ham striker Jordan Hugill. But while the £3.6million transfer fee is within their means, his wage packet of £40,000-a-week certainly is not.

Cook is also desperate for a reunion with Portsmouth forward Jamal Lowe, who bagged 17 goals last season in League One.

Lowe was brought to Pompey from non-league football in 2016 by then-boss Cook.

But Pompey are holding out for their full £3million asking price which, as yet, Latics haven’t met.