Wigan Athletic: Major January transfer priority all too clear for Shaun Maloney | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic must sign an experienced striker during the January transfer window

Wigan Athletic sit 18th in the League One table having played 12 games, following Tuesday night's 2-1 home defeat to Mansfield Town.

In isolation, the Latics will not be overly concerned by their defeat to the Stags, who now occupy fourth spot and have been the third tier's surprise package so far this season following their promotion from League Two.

Furthermore, Shaun Maloney's men are still three points clear of the relegation zone and, more remarkably, just six points adrift of the play-off spots.

However, everyone associated with the Latics from supporters to coaching staff will be worried by the fact that the Greater Manchester outfit have scored just 10 goals in League One this season, while only Stevenage, who ironically sit above them in 13th, have scored fewer.

Wigan's lack of attacking threat did not appear to be a major concern when Maloney's side managed an impressive run of six cleansheets in the league, and seven across all competitions, prior to the international break.

But since returning to action, the Latics have suffered a 2-0 loss to previously winless Cambridge United, followed by their previously mentioned Mansfield defeat.

The Tics' impotent frontline has now become a problem given the fact that their run of cleansheets has come to an end, while Maloney's transfer priority is now clearer than ever.

Latics must sign an experienced striker in January

Perhaps it is no surprise that the Latics boast one of the least effective attacks in League One, as their forward options are all, largely speaking, inexperienced.

Josh Stones is currently the only out-and-out striker who is at the Brick Community Stadium on a permanent basis, and last season, in which he made six third tier appearances, was his first campaign as a senior player in Maloney's squad.

Meanwhile, the only other strikers the Latics have at their disposal are Joe Hugill and Dale Taylor, on loan from Manchester United and Nottingham Forest respectively.

The fact that both of these players are on loan from Premier League clubs clearly displays their potential for the future, but Hugill, who is just 21 years old, managed just one goal in 18 appearances in League One during a loan spell with Burton Albion last term, and therefore lacks a track record of scoring in the Football League.

Taylor's career to date paints a similar picture, as the 20-year-old managed a return of just five goals in 42 appearances while on loan with fellow third tier side Wycombe Wanderers last season.

Latics supporters will wonder why the experienced attacking trio of Josh Magennis, Charlie Wyke and Stephen Humphrys, who all left the club at the end of last season, have merely been replaced by youngsters.

Furthermore, attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard has outscored all of Wigan's strikers so far this term, and is the club's top scorer in League One with three, while Taylor and Hugill have two each and Stones is yet to score.

Based on this evidence, Maloney simply has to prioritise bringing an experienced striker through the doors, in an effort to turn the club's attacking woes around.

The answer to Latics' problem could lie in League Two

The Latics' failure to recruit a senior striker during the summer transfer window may have, in part, been due to the understandable ethos of financial sustainability owner Mike Danson has instilled at the Brick Community Stadium.

However, such restrictions should not mean that the Greater Manchester club are unable to sign an experienced striker, while perhaps a cheaper option could be sought if they looked to the League Two market as opposed to looking at a forward from a League One rival.

As per Football Insider, the Latics were keen on re-signing their academy graduate Kyle Joseph from Blackpool during the summer, but such a deal did not come to fruition.

The likes of Will Evans, who scored against Maloney's side for Mansfield on Tuesday night, and has managed four goals in 11 League One appearances since signing for the Stags from League Two Newport County, and Burton Albion's Danilo Orsi, who has been a major threat for the Brewers after displaying prolific form in the fourth tier with Crawley Town last term, provide proof that League Two could be a good market for Wigan to consider when it comes to purchasing a new striker.

With this in mind, a potential option could be Notts County's Alassana Jatta, who has scored five goals in nine league outings for the Magpies this season, and has previously played in the Danish top-flight for Viborg.