Wigan Athletic must brace for Sam Tickle swansong amid Sunderland, Birmingham interest: View | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic will be preparing for their last match of the season as they welcome Bristol Rovers to the DW Stadium.

It has been quite an impressive campaign for the Latics, given the circumstances that faced them before a ball was kicked.

Put ownership in the last couple of years has meant the club has suffered on the pitch, so this campaign in League One was different from previous ones, as Wigan had to make sure they got back on a level playing field quickly and stay clear of that relegation zone.

Shaun Maloney has managed just that, and what is even more impressive is that he has done it with a rather inexperienced squad.

At the heart of that is goalkeeper Sam Tickle, who is playing his first full season at the club and has been sensational. So much so that he has attracted interest from teams such as Sunderland and Birmingham City.

That interest hasn’t gone away, and with this Saturday being Wigan’s last game of the season, the club may need to brace themselves that it could be the player’s final swansong, as a move could occur in the summer.

Sunderland and Birmingham City hold an interest in Sam Tickle

It first came to light that Wigan’s Sam Tickle was grabbing the attention of Championship teams when it was reported in January that both Birmingham City and Preston held an interest in the goalkeeper.

Obviously, a deal never worked out for either club, but it is likely they have been keeping an eye on the shotstopper, as the summer transfer window is now just around the corner.

These two clubs were then joined by Sunderland, as it was reported at the start of this month that the Black Cats were also keeping an eye on the player.

The Black Cats currently have a great number one goalkeeper in the form of Anthony Patterson, but it seems the club is looking at potential options to replace him should his valuation be matched this summer.

Therefore, Tickle has emerged on their radar after impressing in his breakout season with the League One side.

Saturday could be Sam Tickle’s last game for Wigan amid Sunderland and Birmingham City interest

As mentioned, this 2023/24 season has been Sam Tickle’s breakout campaign, as the goalkeeper has established himself as the club’s number one and hasn’t missed a single game in the league.

Before this campaign, Tickle had featured just twice for Wigan, and they came in the Championship and the EFL Trophy.

So, looking at how well the player has performed this season, it would be easy to forget that this is his first full season in English football.

As stated, Tickle has played all 45 games the Latics have played in League One, during which time he has kept 14 clean sheets and conceded 56 goals.

Tickle has been a key contributor to the club moving away from the relegation zone quite quickly, and that is shown with his 136 saves made, with him averaging three per game.

Furthermore, Tickle is conceding just 1.2 goals per game, and his performances have seen him be named in team of the week once, per Sofascore.com.

His performances for Wigan have seen him earn his first call-up to the England under-21 squad, so he is a player who is very much doing the right things and catching the eye of many people.

The Latics quickly moved themselves out of danger this season, but it was too much for them to get into play-off contention. Therefore, the club will be in League One once again next season, and while Tickle may have no problem staying at the club, this Saturday could be his final game for them.

This is because the 22-year-old has a contract that runs until 2026, but with him not agreeing to a new extension, Wigan may be forced into a situation where they accept an offer if it arrives.

Sunderland will be playing in the Championship next season; Birmingham have still got to confirm their place, but if the Blues stay in the division as well, that would be two second-tier teams potentially chasing a League One player.

Wigan will not want to lose Tickle, but they will also have a price for the goalkeeper, and as long as that is met, they may be forced to sell him this summer.