Now is probably the moment Malky Mackay has been waiting for since he was appointed Wigan manager in November – the January transfer window.
Things certainly haven’t gone to plan since Mackay replaced Uwe Rosler. Just one win from eight games in all competitions and six defeats have left Wigan even further in the relegation mire.
Wigan are second bottom in the Championship. Perhaps the only saving grace is there are only three points separating them from safety.
But now is the time Mackay has to act to reshape his squad for a relegation battle and a striker is his top priority.
by joncandy
If you’re into your football betting, then you probably wouldn’t get much of a price on Mackay signing a striker this month. But the big question is what type of striker will he be able to bring to the club?
He had hoped that Grant Holt would have fitted the bill, only for the 33-year-old to suffer a serious knee injury in his final appearance on loan at Huddersfield.
Mackay is now scouring the market for options, with only three teams having scored fewer than Wigan’s 24 goals in 24 games this season.
Sunderland’s Danny Graham has been linked with a move to the DW Stadium. He scored 27 goals for Watford in the 2010/11 season to certainly prove himself at this level.
But that was four years ago and he has struggled since leaving Swansea for Sunderland in 2013. He scored just once in five games on loan at Wolves earlier this season and managed just six goals in 18 appearances for Middlesbrough last season.
If he could rediscover his old form, Graham is certainly the type of striker Mackay needs.
It could also be worth Mackay having a look at Leicester’s Chris Wood. Leicester are interested in Shaun Maloney and Mackay knows the winger could leave Wigan this month. He could do worse than ask for Wood in exchange, even if it’s only on loan for the rest of the season.
Wood is more than capable of scoring goals at Championship level and has the attributes required to spearhead the Wigan attack.
Could Mackay even consider going back to his old club, Cardiff, to sign a player who had a spell on loan at Wigan last season?
Nicky Maynard may have only scored four goals in 19 appearances for Wigan, and may not have massively impressed, but Mackay was the manager who signed him for Cardiff. Maynard can be a clinical finisher on his day, which is what Wigan need right now, and perhaps Mackay could be the one to get him firing again.
Defence could also be an area Mackay may look to strengthen. He has signed Liam Ridgewell on loan from Portland Timbers, but the defender is only here for six weeks.
That’s not a pressing issue, though. There are usually plenty of experienced defenders in the Premier League and Championship you can bring in on loan after the transfer window closes.
A striker is what he needs. And now.