Key reason why Arsenal, Wigan Athletic transfer failed to materialise revealed | OneFootball

Sam Tickle made the brave decision not to make the move to the Emirates Stadium, despite potentially having the chance to jump up two divisions.

A key reason why Arsenal failed to sign Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle has now been revealed.

According to The Sun, Tickle turned down the opportunity to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium, which ruled out a potential move from the Gunners before the summer transfer window closed.

The Premier League giants had enjoyed a fairly successful window up to that point, with David Raya their first signing of the summer transfer window.

After seeing him thrive on loan in the English capital, they took the decision to recruit the goalkeeper on a permanent basis.

Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino also joined - and both look set to be decent additions for the Gunners - although the latter is currently on the sidelines with an injury.

However, he doesn't look to be out for the long term and when he does return, the midfielder could be an excellent asset in the middle of the park for Mikel Arteta's men.

The Gunners also used the loan market to strengthen their squad, with Neto coming in as a backup option for Raya following Aaron Ramsdale's departure.

Raheem Sterling also made a temporary move to the Emirates - and will have a lot to prove after seemingly being deemed temporarily surplus to requirements at Chelsea.

Arteta's side also got to work on offloading those who were surplus to requirements, with their departures helping the club to balance the books.

Sam Tickle turns down Arsenal move

Wigan star Tickle was of interest to the Gunners during the latter stages of the window, with The Athletic reporting their interest in the shot-stopper.

Having already signed Raya, a starting spot for the Latics' Tickle didn't look to be on offer and with Neto also joining as a replacement for Ramsdale, a place on the bench would have been unlikely for him too.

But with Karl Hein securing a loan move away, he could have been the third-choice option for the Gunners, which could have given him a chance of being involved if one of Raya or Neto sustained an injury.

However, The Sun have reported that Tickle turned down a move to the capital, with the 22-year-old keen to continue playing regularly, something he is doing at the DW Stadium.

Wigan Athletic receive huge boost with Sam Tickle news

Tickle is such an important asset for Wigan.

They also have others who can contribute, but the keeper is one of their most influential players.

This report, if correct, also shows that Tickle isn't willing to make a move away from his current side unless it's the right one for him, and that may reassure fans that he will spend a longer period of time at the club.

There will probably come a time when he will be sold, but with his contract not expiring until 2028, that puts the Latics in a strong negotiating position.

And with the player only likely to get better in the coming months, he could be sold for a decent amount in the future.

For now though, Tickle is staying put and that is the right decision for him, because he will continue to start if he's fit and stays in form.