Ashley Fletcher to Wigan Athletic: Is it a good move? Would he start? What does he offer? | OneFootball

Ashley Fletcher has completed a move to Wigan Athletic from Watford.

The forward has joined the Latics as part of a season-long loan agreement between the two clubs.

The striker has been with the Hornets since last summer, signing from Middlesbrough.

The 26-year-old is a Manchester United academy graduate and has also played for West Ham, Sunderland, and New York Red Bulls.

Here we weigh up the ins and outs of the deal and whether this will prove to be a good addition to Leam Richardson’s squad…

Is it a good move?

Fletcher only made three league appearances for the club after arriving last year, all of which came from the bench.

His only other appearances came in the League Cup and FA Cup, albeit he did nab the winner in a victory over Crystal Palace in the second round of the secondary cup competition.

A move to Wigan will offer him the chance to earn regular playing time, which he has lacked since his time at Boro, last making over 25 league appearances in a season in 2019-20.

It is clear that there is no role for him at Vicarage Road at the moment, so it should prove to be a good move for all parties.

Would he start?

While Fletcher may not instantly walk into the team’s starting lineup, he will certainly earn more game time than if he had remained at Watford.

The forward will be decent competition to the likes of Josh Magennis, Stephen Humphrys and Nathan Broadhead.

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There is certainly potential for Fletcher to become an important member of the squad given the lack of options in the squad.

If he can perform well in the opportunities that arise then he has every chance of cementing himself in the starting lineup.

What does he offer?

The forward has a lot of Championship experience having spent several years in the division between his stints with Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

In his most impressive campaign, he scored 10 goals and earned seven assists as Boro finished 17th in the league.

That shows he has the potential to score at a consistent rate and that he can also contribute in attack with good link-up play and creative passing.