Transfer gossip: Wigan Athletic and Hibs linked with swoop for Fulham starlet

Wigan Athletic are 'eyeying' a move for Fulham midfielder Kristian Sekularac according to a report.

Football League World is reporting that the Latics along with their League One rivals Leyton Orient and Scottish Premiership side Hibernian all have an interest in signing him before Monday's deadline. Several other unnamed clubs both in the EFL and north of the border are interested too and it’s understood the move would be a loan rather than a permanent transfer.

Both Wigan and Orient have made use of the loan market this season, and are looking to it again for reinforcements to help with their respective goals. Michael Olakigbe was recently recalled by Brentford but there are still five players that are being borrowed by other teams.

There is a gap in Wigan’s midfield after Thelo Aasgaard was sold to Luton Town earlier this week. The Norwegian youth international was sold to the Championship club for a fee in the region of £3.5million, with Shaun Maloney tasked with sourcing a replacement.

It’s understood that Crawley Town star Ronan Darcy is Wigan’s top target with sporting director Gregor Rioch admitting that the club had already engaged with another team about signing a replacement for Aasgaard. As to whether it would be Darcy or Sekularac or maybe even both remains to be seen.

Kristian Sekularac’s profile

Born in London, but a Switzerland under-21 international Sekularac is an attacking midfielder and so he could be seen as a direct replacement for Aasgaard. He is 21-years-old and has been in England since July 2022 after joining from Italian giants Juventus.

Fulam have yet to give him a senior appearance, but he has been an unused substitute for three Premier League matches. This season, he has been clinical in front of goal for their under-21s team in the Premier League 2. In the 13 matches he's played for them in the league, he's netted eight goals.

EFL loan rules

Despite Olakigbe being recalled by Brentford, Wigan still have five players on loan from teams across the Premier League, Championship and League One. Ollie Norburn arrived from Blackpool this month, and when the two sides meet at the DW Stadium on April 26, he won't be able to play.

The other loan players in the squad are Luke Chambers, Dale Taylor, Silko Thomas, and Will Goodwin. Chambers has unfortunately been out of action since early October with a back injury, so for the time being there is a place in the match day squad for another player.

Dale Taylor who is on loan from Nottingham Forest has been a first-team regular, providing six goals and six assists in 24 games. Silko Thomas who is from Leicester City is another player that is getting regular game time, playing 23 times this season. Will Goodwin joined from Oxford United at the start of the month and has so far played in every league game he's been available for.

Clubs across the three divisions of the EFL are allowed to register five loan players in a match-day squad, and so if everyone was available and Sekularac was to join then someone would have to drop out. Despite only turning 21 in November, loan players even aged under 21 have to be included in the squad list submitted to the EFL after the window has shut.