Wigan Athletic Boost in pursuit of £250,000 ex-Birmingham City man

Wigan Athletic have been given a boost in their pursuit of St Mirren midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce with news that another League One club has rejected them.

Leyton Orient are also in the hunt for the 24-year-old, but their initial offer of £175,000 was rejected by the Buddies. They are holding out for a quarter of a million, meaning Wigan are still in the running.

The Northern Ireland international is in demand this summer after just one full season north of the border. The Belfast-born schemer came through the ranks at Glentoran but was quickly snapped up by then Championship side Birmingham City.

He spent six years at St Andrews but struggled to make a significant impact. He appeared six times in the Championship in 2019/20 but made just nine appearances in total for the Blues after being blocked by Lee Bowyer.

That led to a move to Middlesbrough in January 2022, but after four appearances and just one goal on Teeside, his contract was terminated and St Mirren were relegated.

He certainly impressed during his time in the SPFL. Predominantly playing in a holding role, often on the left of a midfield pairing, he put in some eye-catching performances. He made five assists and that form saw him called up to the Northern Ireland squad last month, getting 45 minutes against Spain.

Wigan will be looking to strengthen for a promotion bid this season. They should have been on the brink of the playoffs last season, but the points deduction was a huge hindrance.

They are looking for players to provide competition for places in the center of the park, with Matt Smith and Baba Adeeko a regular first-choice pairing.

The writer’s vision

£250,000 is a lot of money, but there is a feeling around League One this season that it is flexing every financial muscle. The new government is likely to speed up the independent regulator, and when it does, spending restrictions could be implemented.

That’s why some clubs are splashing the cash, which is exactly what Latics will have to do if they want Boyd-Munce. Will they do it? It’s likely because St Mirren’s valuation isn’t too excessive – they received a similar fee 18 months ago for Lincoln’s Ethan Erhahon, so they’ll be happy to hold out.

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