Wigan Athletic manager Shaun Maloney has revealed a major transfer update for the League One side, following their EFL Cup clash against Barnsley.
Maloney’s side took the lead mid-way through the first half courtesy of a penalty from Thelo Aasgaard, before Barnsley hit back in the second half through Donovan Pines.
Ultimately, the cup tie went to penalties and it was Barnsley who prevailed with a 4-2 victory in the shootout to book their place in round two.
Following the full-time whistle, the Wigan Athletic revealed a major transfer update regarding one of his team’s players.
Bid accepted
Speaking to BBC Sport Manchester, Shaun Maloney confirmed that Wigan Athletic have accepted a bid from Hull City for defender Charlie Hughes.
Currently, there has been no figure given, but the League One side are expected to earn a high seven-figure fee, which could rise further if any add-ons or sell-on clauses are inserted into the deal.
Revealing the news, Maloney stated…
“We’ve accepted a bid for him (Charlie Hughes) today, so I expect him to be travelling there and possibly sign for that club (Hull) tomorrow.”
How did Hughes fare last season?
The defender was at the heart of the Wigan Athletic defence last season, featuring in 43 of their 46 league matches whilst starting 42 of them.
Hughes scored four league goals as well as providing an additional assist for the League One outfit as well having a pass completion rate of 82.9%, 5.1 duel wins and 6.2 ball recoveries.
Can Hughes replace Greaves for Hull City?
During the summer window, Hull City lost their star defender Jacob Greaves to Premier League new-boys Ipswich Town for an eight-figure fee, which left a significant hole in the Tigers back line.
Hull began their 2024/25 Championship campaign with a 1–1 draw, being saved by a 91st-minute penalty and using a paring of Alfie Jones and Sean McLoughlin.
Hughes is an English youth international and has already been the subject of several bids from Hull City this summer, suggesting the Tigers value him above every other option on the market for the role of replacing Greaves.
Whether he can adapt to Championship level remains to be seen, but he certainly has caught the eye of the Tigers.