5 players that must be on the Wigan Athletic transfer radar ft Celtic player | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic enjoyed an overall successful 2023/24 League One campaign, landing a top-half finish despite beginning the season with an eight points deduction and being subject to a transfer embargo.

A youthful Latics side, full of club academy graduates, won 70 points, but finished on 62 points, and will be hopeful that if they have a successful summer transfer window, they could make a play-off push in 2024/25.

Following turbulent times under the last two ownership groups, current Latics owner Mike Danson has put sustainability at the heart of his operations with the club, so the club's supporters can look forward to a summer of sensible signings.

These are the five players who must be on the Latics' transfer radar this upcoming window:

Marc Leonard

Brighton midfielder and former Scotland youth international Marc Leonard spent the last two seasons on loan at Northampton Town, helping the Cobblers win automatic promotion at the end of the 2022/23 season before finishing 14th in League One in 2023/24.

According to FotMob, Leonard boasts an impressive pass accuracy of 81.6%, which would make him an ideal asset to Latics boss Shaun Maloney, who follows the philosophy of possession-based football.

Leonard could be the perfect complement to Latics midfielder Matt Smith, as he has a creative edge and made 68 chances for Cobblers teammates during the 2023/24 League One campaign.

The 22-year-old's contract at Brighton lasts until 2025, so Maloney could push to sign his fellow countryman either on loan or on a permanent deal.

Bosun Lawal

Bosun Lawal impressed in League One with now relegated Fleetwood Town in a 2023/24 loan spell from Scottish Premiership giants Celtic, and according to the Daily Record, the 20-year-old has been told that his future could lie away from Celtic Park.

A pursuit of Lawal, who can play at both centre back and in a defensive midfield role, would be an ambitious swoop for the Latics, as the Scottish Sun have reported that Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth and Derby County, who will all be competing in the Championship next campaign, are interested in pursuing loan deals for the starlet.

However, if Celtic are open to allowing Lawal to go back out on loan to a Football League side, then Maloney should utilise his links with the club to sign the ace.

The Latics boss played for the Glasgow outfit from 2000-2007 and 2008-2011 before becoming the side's under-19 manager from 2017-2018.

Furthermore, Latics star defender Charlie Hughes could be set to leave the DW Stadium amid reported transfer interest from Ipswich Town and West Ham, so Lawal could be an ideal replacement.

Christy Pym

Alongside Hughes, another Latics starlet who looks likely to leave the club this summer is England under-21 international goalkeeper Sam Tickle, who has been linked with a move to Everton.

Meanwhile, second choice Ben Amos' contract is set to expire this summer, so Maloney is in need of a new shot-stopper, especially in the event of a Tickle departure.

Mansfield Town goalkeeper Christy Pym could be an attractive option for the Latics, after winning promotion from League Two to League One.

Pym started all 46 fourth tier matches for the Stags during 2023/24, and kept 14 clean sheets in the process, and according to FotMob, he had a pass accuracy of 65.9% this season, so he would be able to support Maloney's ethos of playing out from the back.

Daniel Udoh

The Latics' top goalscorer during the 2023/24 League One campaign was Stephen Humphrys, who scored nine goals in 38 appearances and 24 starts.

But there is uncertainty surrounding the future of the former Rochdale man, whose contract at the DW Stadium expires this summer, which would leave the Latics in need of a goalscorer.

Even if Humphrys remains at the club, the Greater Manchester outfit should still opt to sign a forward this window, with Charlie Kelman set to return to Queens Park Rangers following a loan spell, while both Charlie Wyke and Josh Magennis are both out of contract this summer.

Shrewsbury Town forward Daniel Udoh could be the answer, after scoring 10 League One goals in 40 appearances and 38 starts for a lowly Salop side during 2023/24.

While Udoh has already proven his ability to hit double figures in the third tier, a move to a side who could find themselves in a play-off hunt could unlock the 27-year-old's full goalscoring potential.

Junior Quitirna

Despite plying his trade for a relegated Fleetwood side, wideman Junior Quitirna showed plenty of promise for the Lancashire outfit, scoring four goals and producing two assists in just 11 starts and 24 appearances.

Quitirna is just 24-years-old, so he could be an ideal fit for a young Latics outfit, and he has shown his ability to produce the goods against some of League One's finest outfits, as he scored a brace against Barnsley back in October, and bagged an assist against Bolton in August.

The former Charlton man made six League One goal contributions in just 1,033 minutes during 2023/24, as per FotMob, so he is clearly a dangerous player in the final third.