Wigan Athletic set to sign League Two winger in late deadline day deal | OneFootball

The Latics look set to land long-term target Maleace Asamoah from Fleetwood Town.

Wigan Athletic are set to sign Fleetwood Town winger Maleace Asamoah, with a medical currently taking place for the Cod Army forward.

That's according to journalist Pete O'Rourke via X, in a deal that will see Wigan land a player who has been a long-term target throughout the summer.

Interest from the Latics in Asamoah first emerged in July, but the understanding was that this would always be a transfer that would require patience in order to complete it.

However, Wigan's patience appears to have paid off, with the versatile attacker all set to complete a move to The Brick Community Stadium, following a spell on loan at top flight Irish side Waterford.

Wigan set to land Maleace Asamoah deal

As revealed by O'Rourke, Wigan are set to complete the signing of Asamoah from Fleetwood Town, as Latics boss Shaun Maloney appears to be getting a boost to his forward options in the final hours of the transfer window.

The 21-year-old is the son of former Northampton, Mansfield, Carlisle - among others - and Ghanaian international forward Derek Asamoah, and after spending time with both Tottenham and Reading as a youngster, Maleace started his senior career in non-league football with Cheshunt.

After spending a year with the Isthmian League Premier Division side, Asamoah signed with Greek second division outfit Kalamata.

During his two-year stay with the club, the 21-year-old spent time on loan with Olympiacos Volos, before leaving Kalamata to make his return to non-league football in England with New Salamis.

It was here that he caught the eye of Fleetwood Town, and in July last year he signed a one-year contract with the then League One side.

In February, it was decided that the young forward should seek a loan move to earn some valuable senior minutes, and that took him to Irish Premier Division side Waterford, where he's been making quite an impression.

Asamoah has been showing star potential in Ireland for Waterford

Asamoah has been thriving on the other side of the Irish Sea, with the chance to play regular senior football clearly having a big impact on his development.

Six goals and fours assists in 17 appearances for Waterford has evidenced his ability to score goals and create chances, albeit at a level that is a struggle to compare to the English leagues.

Naturally a winger but also capable of playing as a striker, Asamoah is a Swiss Army knife of a player, and a real ball of clay that Maloney could mould into whatever type of player he desires.

As such, his ability to plug multiple different holes in the squad should an injury crisis befall the club at any point is a highly desirable trait to have, and players like that more often than not prove to be worth their weight in gold when injuries and suspensions begin to inevitably mount up over the course if an EFL season.

Unfortunately for Asamoah, a knee injury has kept him sidelined since late May, and therefore would likely need some time to get up to full match fitness before he can push for a role in Maloney's squad this season.

But he appears to have performed well enough and turn enough heads during his time on the pitch this season to warrant a move to League One, and if he can translate his form from Irish football over to English football, Wigan could have a real gem on their hands.