"Ridiculous" - Wigan Athletic, Sam Tickle transfer prediction issued as Sheffield United man name-dropped | OneFootball

The shot-stopper has been incredible once again this season, and could be on his way out of Wigan in the summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Wigan Athletic's decision to sack Shaun Maloney earlier in March came as a shock to many, after he was left in a tough position with a very limited squad and budget.

However, hope has been reinstalled at The Brick Community Stadium following the announcement of Ryan Lowe as the club's new manager, and hopes for the future are high for the first time in a long while.

Nevertheless, the Latics are not fully out of danger of the drop yet, and despite their 10-point gap to Burton Albion, supporters will still want to see a rapid improvement on the pitch to ensure that they head into next season in League One.

Wigan make the journey to Charlton Athletic on Saturday afternoon, and they know just how tough a test it will be with Nathan Jones' side flying in the play-off places, but the Greater Manchester outfit do hold a trump card between the posts.

Sam Tickle named as part of Wigan Athletic summer transfer fear

Lowe has time now to evaluate his squad ready for the 2025/26 campaign, and as soon as survival is secured, it would not be a surprise to see him tinker with his starting XI to work out who must stay and who could on.

However, there will be a huge amount of concern over the future of goalkeeper Sam Tickle, with the 22-year-old once again proving to be a star for the Latics.

The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United have set their sights on him in the past, and with the summer transfer window just a few months away, interest will surely mount once again.

Football League World's Wigan Fan Pundit, Corey Bissell, has fears that his side's number one could be on his way out once this season comes to an end, and he could forge a similar career path to Sheffield United's Michael Cooper, who could be playing in the Premier League next season.

When asked which player he believes is most likely to depart in the summer, he told FLW: "So, the one player that I feel is most likely to leave this summer is probably Sam Tickle. I think everyone can sort of see that, both inside and outside of Wigan’s sphere.

"He’s got England Under-21's caps, he’s a ridiculous goalkeeper for League One level, and he’s way too good for this division. He could easily do a double jump, in my opinion, maybe like Michael Cooper.

"He could easily do a few years in League One and then end up at a top Championship team who could go up to the Premier League. I think he's that good."

Corey continued: "I can't see him being here beyond the summer, and Tickle is probably the most likely to leave for those reasons.

"He's got that pedigree now, he’s got two seasons of build-up behind his name, proving that he is way too good for this division."

Sam Tickle has an extremely bright future - but it's likely to be away from Wigan Athletic

While he is still a Wigan player, it is clear to see that his future lies away from The Brick Community Stadium, and Lowe will more than likely have to start searching for a new goalkeeper soon.

Tickle has proven that he has more than enough quality to play in the Championship, and there will be huge competition for him in the summer - especially if the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United reignite their own interest.

With 14 clean sheets in 35 games for a team towards the lower reaches of the League One table, it is obvious that he has been a wall in goal and Wigan supporters must not hold it against him if he does move once this season comes to an end.

The Latics must, however, get a good package for him if he does leave and a bidding war will only help them with that.