Wigan Athletic 2024/25 Sensible Transfers – Centre Backs

Wigan Athletic have a huge summer ahead. After years of financial mismanagement we finally find ourselves in a stable position, from which we can build a squad capable of challenging at the top end of League One while also securing the financial future of the club.

A clear and aggressive recruitment philosophy has been implemented by Sporting Director, Gregor Rioch and Manager, Shaun Maloney. There is an emphasis on targeting younger players who have high potential, both in terms of their ability on the pitch and the money they could bring in for the club if sold on later down the line.

This has made writing this summer’s Sensible Transfers article so much more enjoyable, because I know we’re so much more likely to sign – what I would call – the right kind of player. I’ve been desperate for us to adopt this kind of recruitment policy for a while now, so this summer is going to be really exciting.

Across seven articles I will be putting forward several targets across a number of key positions that I believe would be excellent signings for Latics this summer. The scenarios and permutations of what might happen will be taken from my recent squad review articles, as well as the club’s recently released retained list.

If you haven’t already I would highly recommend you checking all of those articles out. Think of them as a ‘preview’ to these Sensible Transfers articles, as they have set the framework for the financial and positional criteria my potential targets have to fit within.

Finally, when all seven Sensible Transfers have been released there will be an additional article with an updated multi-scenario, forecasted squad depth chart alongside the rough finances involved.

Now then… let’s get cracking shall we?

---

Current Options

Charlie Hughes // 20-years-old // £3,500 p/w

Sean Clare // 27-years-old // £4,000 p/w

Luke Robinson // 22-years-old // £1,000 p/w

James Carragher // 21-years-old // £1,000 p/w

Centre Back is a position that needs a complete rebuild this summer. Loanees Liam Morrison, Charlie Goode, Kell Watts, Omar Rekik and Luke Chambers played their part at the heart of our defence throughout the season, but all have returned to their parent clubs. Charlie Hughes is the only natural still contracted to the club, but he’s expected to leave, albeit for what should be big money. Jason Kerr remains in discussions with the club, but his future at the club remains uncertain at the time of posting this article.

There is James Carragher, who should be ready for a promotion to the first team after a successful loan spell at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, but will of course require more senior support around him. Sean Clare and Luke Robinson are wide centre back options for when we play a back three, but both are natural full backs and should only be used centrally as a last resort.

Budget

Assuming Charlie Hughes leaves, my rough estimate is that Shaun Maloney will have around £300,000 to spend on his options, with around £15,000 p/w on wages. That is on the assumption that we receive a minimum of £5,000,000 for Hughes, and are given just 20% of that fee to reinvest this season. If anyone else (e.g Sam Tickle) leave for a significant fee too that would naturally change things.

If Jason Kerr remains at the club I can’t see Shaun Maloney being given as much money to spend. The money saved by the exits of our other released players / returning loanees plus Hughes’ expected departure should be enough to give the gaffer £15,000 p/w on wages to rebuild the defence though. James Carragher may well remain at the club to add depth and quality too.

While free agents will be targeted, I would be willing to pay respectable transfer fees for the first team options, or use the loan market.

Criteria

We need a minimum of three new players in this position, and that number will rise to four if / when Charlie Hughes is sold. Equally, if Jason Kerr goes we will need to bring four players in. Our new centre backs need to be comfortable and capable when playing in a back four or back five, and ideally will have experience of both.

In terms of attributes it goes without saying that we need defenders very comfortable with the ball at their feet. They must be comfortable managing the ball under pressure and should be able to carry the ball into midfield well, or make line-breaking passes. Ideally they can do both, but I understand that will be unlikely.

Naturally we want defenders who do the basics of defending very well. Brave, aggressive and front-footed is my preference, but any form of solidity will be welcome. Physically I will be prioritising mobility over brute force, as our expansive play means we need defenders who can cover distance quickly. I am also keen to find players effective at set-pieces, at both ends.

If Jason Kerr leaves I want at least one player aged 28 or above, or with a minimum of 200 games in their career, to act as a senior figure within the dressing room. They will be a captaincy option, and will help provide stability during a time of great change in our back line.

We need a left-sided option, a natural central-centre back for when we play a back three, and then a right-sided option should Hughes depart. I will be separating my options into those three categories.

---

Left-Sided Centre Backs

Option One – Lewis Freestone (24-years-old)

Lewis Freestone is a Cheltenham Town player who can count himself unlucky to be part of a relegated side. His performances during the season were that of a top end League One player, and as a result that’s the level I expect him to move to this summer. A classy operator who perhaps wasn’t able to show his technical quality in a direct Cheltenham side, I have no doubt Freestone would cope with what we’d need from him in possession. His long diagonal passes are great, and while it’s hard to match Charlie Hughes’ level in that part of the game he’d make the loss less noticeable. His defensive attributes are very strong; brave, front-footed and deceptively quick. He could play LB, LCB or CCB with ease depending on the system we play.

A left-footed versatile defender approaching his prime years, I’d love us to make this move. It would take a fee, but he’ll want a move back to League One which should lower the fee somewhat. He’ll be worth seven figures by the end of next season without a doubt, and I hope that’s as a Latics player.

Option Two – George Nevett (18-years-old)

This one may prove to be a bit ambitious if he gets a move higher up the English football pyramid, but I’m holding out hope that we might have a chance. George Nevett has had a remarkable breakthrough season at Rochdale, and looks like one of the best talents outside of the Premier League. He’s a classy left-footer, with a beautiful range of passing and excellent vision. Defensively he does what is required, and is always improving as he builds up his physical stature. There is some awkwardness with how he moves, but he’s a bit Dan Burn like in the sense that he actually moves a lot better than he looks like he should. How that translates to a higher level will be interesting, but he certainly has the raw ability to go very far in the game.

If we get a decent fee for Charlie Hughes I’d be setting a portion aside to bring George Nevett in. He’s probably the most expensive option on this list, but he also has the highest ceiling. If we want to be really ambitious, this is our man.

Option Three – Josh Flint (23-years-old)

As an Englishman playing abroad I’d suggest Josh Flint’s good form at FC Volendam has gone under the radar. The former Portsmouth midfielder, who transitioned to become a centre back when he moved to the Netherlands, has shown that he’s a really solid defender with all the technical attributes of a modern day ball-player. Flint is athletic with a willingness to carry the ball out of defence, as well as possessing the ability to break lines with passes and kickstart attacks. Considering he’s fairly new to the position, Flint has a real understanding of where to be and when in defensive areas, albeit sometimes lacking true grit and aggression that can see him beaten to balls by more powerful strikers. The biggest worry I have for him would be that he might struggle physically as an EFL centre back.

His contract in Holland is up and while he appears well settled in the country I do wonder if we could tempt him with a move back to the UK. He’d suit us quite nicely if that’s a possibility.

Option Four – Elkan Baggott (21-years-old)

Ipswich Town’s promotion to the Premier League has, in all honesty, probably ended Elkan Baggott’s chances of becoming a first team regular at the club. However, that does not change the fact that he’s a seriously talented player who would look right at home at the heart of our defence. The Indonesian international is totally dominant defensively, and ranks incredibly highly across a number of defensive metrics from his time at Bristol Rovers. That combined with a composed head on his very broad shoulders make him a really interesting option, who but for a slight lack of mobility would probably be making a Championship move this summer. He could still get one, but I reckon staying in League One would be best for him.

A loan move is probably most realistic, but we could try and pay a small fee for him if Ipswich are looking to sell. Or, and this is assuming they are still interested in Charlie Hughes, we should look to use him as part of the deal sending Hughes the other way. It would be a very solid replacement.

Option Five – Shadrach Ogie (22-years-old)

I think everyone would agree that Luke Chambers was a revelation at Latics, and in Shadrach Ogie I’m hoping we could have a like-for-like replacement. The Irish defender is best as a wide centre back in a three, but has shown the physical, tactical and technical capabilities to feature as a left back or centre back in a back four too. He’s a strong 1v1 defender who covers wide areas really well, and is decent in the air too which makes me more confident in him. He brings the ball forward confidently and at pace, and he’s probably the most suited to the ‘Chambers role’ on the list. That’s a tough profile to replicate so the fact that I’ve found someone that kind of can do it is exciting.

His contract situation is undisclosed currently and I imagine he is tied down to a deal at Gillingham. We could probably afford him if so, and I could be tempted to bid if other options aren’t available. If he’s out of contract I’d be snapping him up for sure. He feels like a Wigan player. There’s no explanation to that, it’s just a feeling.

Option Six – Zech Medley (23-years-old)

Another Englishman abroad, and another player who would provide great options in several defensive positions. He’s 6’5″, wonderfully athletic and would add something completely different to our backline from a physical perspective. His passing range isn’t quite at the level of some of the previously mentioned names, but there’s definitely something to work with there, and his passing data is symptomatic of the team he plays in. He spent his formative years in the Arsenal academy, so the lad can clearly play. Interestingly Medley was in the same age group as Matt Smith too, so perhaps our number eight could pull some strings in bringing him to the north west. If we wanted to kill the left back / left centre back birds with one stone, Zech Medley could be the man..

He’d cost a fee, and that fee may be quite large in comparison to other options. His current deal is up in 2025 so maybe this is one to look at sorting out in January on a pre-contract basis.

Notable Mentions

Alex Hartridge // 25-years-old // Free Agent (Formerly of Exeter City)

Dan Happe // 25-years-old // Leyton Orient (OOC, In Discussions)

Brendan Galloway // 28-years-old // Plymouth Argyle (OOC, In Discussions)

Ross Graham // 23-years-old // Dundee United (OOC)

Billy Koumetio // 21-years-old // Liverpool (Loan)

Elijah Campbell // 19-years-old // Everton (Loan)

---

Right-Sided Centre Backs

Option One – Sam Sherring (23-years-old)

Sam Sherring’s rise has perfectly aligned with that of Northampton Town, but I think time has come for the pair to part ways. At 23, the former-Bournemouth man is ready to step up a level and if Latics have play-off ambitions we could be the ideal next step for him. A stylish defender, Sherring can play across the centre back positions and is comfortable bringing the ball out of defence with cutting passes and striding runs. He perhaps doesn’t do either as much as he can, but given the freedom by Shaun Maloney I have no doubt he’d cope very well. These technical qualities are backed up by a resolute defensive attitude that sees him dominate in ground and air duels. He’s wonderfully well-rounded, and is improving every year.

A free agent this summer, Sherring has been offered an extension by The Cobblers. However, he’s good enough to be part of a squad fighting for the top six and would be a strong, shrewd signing by ourselves if we are serious about our hopes of challenging.

Option Two – Liam Morrison (21-years-old)

What is there to say about Liam Morrison that hasn’t already been said about him by Latics fans? The first signing of the new era, he proved to be a sensational pick up on loan from Bayern Munich, and looked as good as Charlie Hughes at the beginning of the season. His short passing is incredible, as is his composure in tight zones, while he defends the box well for someone so young. His long-range passing is less impressive and he does seem reluctant to use it at times, but he has the technical attributes to go as far as he wants in the game. He can play in any centre back spot, as he did last season, and has the potential to grow into a top division player. He is the personification of a modern day defender.

Another loan might be possible, but I’d look to sign him permanently and develop him as our first-choice centre back. He’s unlikely to play at Bayern, so a fee in the low six-figures, which we can definitely afford, could be enough. If it is, it’s almost guaranteed profit for the Scotland under-21 skipper.

Option Three – Brad Hills (20-years-old)

Accrington Stanley seem to develop good centre backs, or at least that’s my reading on things. That opinion may be swayed by my high opinion on Ross Sykes, but Brad Hills appears to be another stopper who has shone at The Wham. The Norwich loanee was one of the best defenders in League Two last season, and should be making a move into the division above this summer to push his career on. Hills is seriously impressive with his defensive attributes and does all of the dirty work really well, which is a quality we need to add as I’ve mentioned. He wasn’t allowed to show the full side of his in-possession game, but there’s talent there for sure too. Hills is on the climb, and we’re a sensible choice of club to allow him to develop further.

In reality the only chance of bringing him in is a loan move, but I don’t mind that. He’d be a cheap solution to a big problem position for us, and has all the attributes to make a real impact.

Option Four – Lucas Ness (22-years-old)

This is the kind of risk that a club in our position need to take. Lucas Ness’ career has hit something of a stumbling block, and he needs a fresh start to kickstart what at one point looked like a promising career. Tall, mobile, technically gifted and a strong defender, Ness has everything you’d want from a centre back, but just hasn’t been able to show it regularly enough at Charlton. He hasn’t ever managed to get a good run of games under his belt, and his form has taken a hit because of that. Signing a player who others might look at as ‘damaged goods’ is something that can work providing you have good coaches who can use the player’s strengths to enhance their own system. Ness has the potential to shine, he just needs the opportunity.

Charlton extended his contract by a year, but I expect that they will listen to offers for him. If the figure is as low as I’m estimating you’d be hard pushed to find a player with more potential upside than him. He wouldn’t be my first pick, but he’d be a top signing for sure.

Option Five – Chris Forino (24-years-old)

I imagine Chris Forino will be on the shortlist of every single League One club this summer, and after three years at Wycombe now feels like a good time for him to move on. As is the case with pretty much every defender who has played at Adams Park recently, Forino is an absolute beast defensively and would add a completely new level of physicality to our backline. He’s a big asset in both boxes, and if we keep improving our set-pieces next season having someone like him on the end of them would be worth half a dozen goals at least. I have doubts about how he’d translate to a more possession-heavy system, but until he plays in one you’ll never really know. He’s more Charlie Goode than Charlie Hughes, but you always need an old-school stopper in your team.

Wycombe have offered Forino a new contract, but at the time of writing he hasn’t signed it. His wage is small enough for us to be able to offer a healthy increase without breaking our own wage structure, and he’d be a solid signing.

Option Six – Ed Turns (21-years-old)

Ed Turns has certainly had an up and down season, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that he’s a talented individual. He’s spent half the season in League One, and the other half in League Two, playing in two teams that want to play out from the back and defend in a similar way to Latics. He’s also a product of Brighton’s academy, and you have to be talented to play there. It all means that Turns is someone who would slot straight into the team without having to learn new systems or styles, and with a good set of core attributes in his locker I’d like to think he’d suit us nicely. He’s another modern-day centre back who is similar to Charlie Hughes in how he wants to distribute the ball, obviously without quite being at that level. Yet…

A loan to bring Turns in as a squad player would be best, but equally the most unrealistic as you’d imagine he’ll want guaranteed starts. Again, he’s a player that we could spend some of the Hughes money on and be confident in making a profit on later down the line. He’s not quite a first choice option yet though.

Notable Mentions

Martin Kelly // 34-years-old // Free Agent (Formerly of West Bromwich Albion)

William Fish // 21-years-old // Manchester United (OOC: 30/06/2024)

Reece Welch // 20-years-old // Everton (Loan)

Sean Raggett // 30-years-old // Free Agent (Formerly of Portsmouth)

Odel Offiah // 21-years-old // Brighton & Hove Albion (Loan)

Shaun Rooney // 27-years-old // Free Agent (Formerly of Fleetwood Town)

---

Central Centre Backs

Option One – Luke Offord (24-years-old)

Those of you who have read my Sensible Transfers articles in the past will know I’m a big fan of Luke Offord. Finally, after years of contract extensions that prevented him from leaving his boyhood club Crewe, now seems the best time to depart Gresty Road. His season was cut short by injury, and it coincided with The Railwaymen’s complete drop off in form. They have reached the play-off final, but it was a much more difficult path than it should have been! Their club captain, Offord was a crucial part of Crewe’s defence and showed his class as a composed ball-playing defender. Despite not being the biggest physically, he makes up for it with good anticipation and aggression that kind of resembles that of Lisandro Martinez. I like him in the middle of a back three, and it’s where I think he’s best, but he’s developed his game and is now capable of playing in a back four too, as well as in midfield.

It’s an absolute no-brainer of a signing for Latics. A young, talented player with plenty of experience and leadership qualities, based in the north west and available for nothing. Bring.

Option Two – Sam Stubbs (25-years-old)

This is a name that may well be familiar to Latics fans who have paid close attention to our academy over the years. Sam Stubbs, son of former Everton hero Alan, came through our youth system, but was unable to truly breakthrough in the era before we began trusting our homegrown youngsters. Since his move away he’s shown himself as a commanding defender, and a true leader in some difficult moments at teams. As an out and out defender there aren’t many better on this list, and his performances at Bradford last year were that of a player playing below his level. He’s not the best ball player, but when partnered with a more technical defender he is absolutely fine. Stubbs makes any team he plays in more solid, that is unquestionable.

He had a contract extension clause triggered which I fear may end the chance of a move, but even so the fee it’d take to bring him in can’t be much. We could do better, but we could do a lot worse too, and he’d be worth the estimated fee. He’s got many more years in him, and he’ll only get better.

Option Three – Marvin Ekpiteta (28-years-old)

Blackpool’s retained list included some notable exits, but perhaps none more so than captain Marvin Ekpiteta. The 6’4″ defender will have plenty of offers, but a move to Latics could work out really well for both parties. We need leadership, physicality and pure defensive ability, and the 28-year-old brings them all in abundance. Across all three of those things you could easily argue he’s Championship quality, and is maybe only held back by his slight awkwardness in possession. That said he has made notable improvements as a ball-player, and if paired with a more competent distributor his limitations would be less apparent. He can keep the ball, but he can’t do anything too special with it. Against the ball though… there aren’t many better in the division.

His wages are a potential stumbling block and there may end up being clubs who can offer him more than us, which at 28 will definitely play into his thinking. He’s searching for a Championship move, but if it doesn’t come and we can work him into our budget I’d definitely do so.

Option Four – Warren O’Hora (25-years-old)

Not long ago MK Dons were the pinnacle of EFL recruitment, with the likes of Harry Darling, Matt O’Riley and Scott Twine making the club millions through sales. There was a time where Warren O’Hora was thought of nearly as highly as those names, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. However, that’s not to say he isn’t still a quality operator. He’s a confident ball player with a variety of passes in his locker, and is comfortable under pressure. He’s not much of a ball carrier, and his defensive qualities probably aren’t as complete as his passing is, but at the heart of a back three he’d be an asset for any side playing a back three in the EFL. He can play in a four as well, but has done so less often in his career.

O’Hora would be another captaincy option for us, and like Ekpiteta is available for free this summer. He’s a cheaper option, and one that has a lot of potential upside. If we had made this signing two years ago I’d have been delighted, so I won’t let two 18 underwhelming months convince me that he’s not a good player.

Option Five – Ollie Kensdale (24-years-old)

England C international Ollie Kensdale is ready for a move into the EFL. Despite still being in the early years of his career the Colchester-born defender has experienced a hell of a lot at The Shrimpers, but has proven himself as a committed leader during tough times. He’s composed and efficient with the ball at his feet, nothing particularly eye-catching but entirely capable of making the step up to League One level in my opinion. He’s one of the better defenders in the National League and I think he’d translate well to our system, especially if he’s eased in alongside a more experienced partner. There’s no part of his game that concerns me at all, and he stacks up well when it comes to the data side of things too.

Kensdale is contracted for another two years at Roots Hall, but given the continued uncertainty around the club getting him out of there might not be too difficult. A small fee for a player who will improve with age and experience, I would love to see us sign someone like this.

Option Six – Dan Ellison (19-years-old)

Another England C international, and another young centre back who needs a move to the EFL to really kick on with his development. Dan Ellison has been gathering interest for a while now, and this summer feels like the perfect time for him to make his move. He’s a wonderful talent who possesses everything a centre back needs in 2024, be that his progressive passing and running, his defensive intelligence, his mobility or the fact he’s an absolute menace at set-pieces. He scored 12 goals and got six assists during the 2022/23 season, which is quite ridiculous. His improvement since moving to first-team football has been monumental, so you can assume the same will be the case when he moves from non-league to the EFL. If we don’t sign him someone else will.

While he might not be ready to play 46 games in League One I have no doubt he will be before long. A cheap fee, probably with a decent sell-on, would be a no-brainer for me. Providing he stays fit you won’t get a more obvious money maker signing than this one. He’s great.

Notable Mentions

Nigel Lonwijk // 21-years-old // Wolves (£200k – £300k or Loan)

Danny Batth // 33-years-old // Norwich City (OOC: 30/06/2024)

Patrick Bauer // 31-years-old // Preston North End (OOC: 30/06/2024)

Ciaran Clark // 34-years-old // Stoke City (OOC: 30/06/2024)

Odhran Casey // 22-years-old // Cliftonville (£50k – £100k, OOC in 2025)

Rhys Williams // 23-years-old // Liverpool (Loan)

---

Conclusion

As you can probably tell by the number of names I’ve put forward in this article I’m expecting a big old summer of defensive recruitment. We need four centre backs for sure, and that number could rise to five if / when Charlie Hughes moves on. That money, or at least a decent percentage of it, should be reinvested back into the squad and some of the players on this list would be worth paying a fee for.

My favourites from the three sections would be Lewis Freestone, Sam Sherring and Luke Offord. I think those three would work nicely together, and would be cheap to bring in. George Nevett, Ollie Kensdale and Dan Ellison are all young players that we should look to sign alongside any first choice options too, providing there’s room in the budget. Add in an experienced figure to lead the group and provide a captaincy option, like Marvin Ekpiteta, Sean Raggett or Martin Kelly, and I think you’ve got a quartet of quality League One defenders.

---

Scenario One

Jason Kerr doesn’t extend his contract, Charlie Hughes is sold, and money is made available to sign four first team defenders on less than £15,000 p/w combined

Scenario Two

Jason Kerr doesn’t extend his contract, Charlie Hughes is sold, but the budget is more restricted and the four new defenders must be signed for free on less than £15,000 p/w combined

Scenario Three

Jason Kerr extends his contract, Charlie Hughes is sold, and money is made available to sign three first team defenders on less than £12,000 p/w combined

---

Final Thoughts

Fair play if you have made it here! No one really knows what is going to happen at Latics this summer, but one thing that feels certain is that finances and sales will heavily dictate what unfolds in the coming months.

With Shaun Maloney and Gregor Rioch leading some smart recruitment, whatever financial deficit has to be covered this transfer window, if we go about things smartly, we can still be a competitive outfit on the pitch and push on from last season.

I have full faith we will do the right things as a club, and we are lucky to have the talented coaching staff in place who want to be at Wigan Athletic. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. Up the Tics!