Jordan Jones reveals Wigan Athletic talks after Sheffield Wednesday links | OneFootball

Despite beginning the season on minus eight following a points deduction, Wigan Athletic successfully defied the odds, and not only achieved League One survival but secured a top-half finish.

Saturday's 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers, courtesy of a Josh Magennis tap-in and a long-range effort from former Burton Albion ensured that the Latics finished 12th in the League One table.

Due to the club's transfer embargo, manager Shaun Maloney has had to instill his faith in the club's academy graduates, loan signings, free agent signings, and players who were at the club prior to his arrival at the DW Stadium in January 2023.

One player the former Hibernian manager has got the best out of this season is former Rangers winger Jordan Jones, who signed for the Latics from the Glasgow giants in 2021.

Under former Wigan boss Leam Richardson, Jones struggled for game-time and was loaned out to Scottish Premiership outfits St Mirren and Kilmarnock during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, and entirety of the 2022/23 seasons respectively.

Jones made a long-awaited return to the DW Stadium ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, and Maloney has placed a lot of trust in the 29-year-old, deploying him as both a winger and a wing-back.

Despite not making an appearance since 16th March, the former Middlesbrough man has had a successful campaign, scoring three goals, and producing six assists in 26 League One appearances and 20 starts.

Jones is out of contract and has been linked with a move away

The ace's current contract at the DW Stadium expires this summer, and Latics supporters will be hoping that he stays in Greater Manchester following a 2023/24 season which has been his best season at the club to date by a big margin.

However, Jones has not ruled out a contract extension, while Maloney will surely want to keep his man on board for the 2024/25 season after getting the best out of him.

He has proven his worth against some of League One's finest outfits, as he provided his team with an assist during a 3-2 win over Peterborough back in February, a month in which he also scored against Oxford.

But, these performances have led to uncertainty surrounding Jones' future, while back in January, HITC revealed that Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United are all keen on the 29-year-old.

Due to the fact that Rotherham have already been relegated to League One, and Huddersfield look certain to join them in the third tier, surely Wednesday have the greatest credentials to sign Jones as Championship survival is in their hands.

The Northern Ireland international wrote on X: "I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone at Wigan Athletic FC for the last three years.

"The less said about the first two years the better, but I'm sure eventually one day I will sit and tell my side or maybe even write a book on it.

"I think everybody could see the relationships I've built with everybody at the club from the goal celebrations at Exeter away- a moment which I'll never forget.

"I can't thank the manager and his staff enough for trusting me this year and giving me a proper opportunity to play for this club, something I waited over two years for.

"I've loved every second working with the boss and no words will ever be enough to thank him for what he's done for me on the pitch, but the way he's treated me on a personal level too- I will be forever grateful.

"A massive thank you also to the fans for all your support while I've been at the club and as I've said I'm so grateful you've been able to see me play this season, I have loved the relationship we have built up.

"In terms of the future, the club and my agent are working hard together, so let's see what happens."