Wigan Athletic struck gold with transfer punt that Man Utd will be thankful of: View | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic have been in better situations in the past.

The Latics are a far cry from their days in the Premier League, which also saw them win the FA Cup in 2013 (the same season they were relegated down to the Championship).

With the Latics set to spend another season in League One, after years of financial mismanagement, big money signings have petered out, although a new owner could breathe new life into the club and bring back some sort of glory days.

Back in 2006, the Latics were a Premier League club, enjoying a stint in the top division. This Premier League status allowed them to sign a number of top level players, including an Ecuador winger from La Liga.

Wigan signed Antonio Valencia on loan from Villarreal in the summer of 2006, following the club avoiding relegation the year prior. He struggled for game time in his debut season in the Premier League, starting just 17 matches and contributing only one goal and one assist.

He extended the loan into the following season, before the two clubs agreed a permanent transfer for the Ecuador international. Valencia joined Wigan on a three-and-a-half year contract, with the fee alleged to be around £5 million.

His form improved in his third season, as Valencia remained one of the first names on the team sheet. In his final season at the club, he scored three times and assisted five in the league as the Latics finished in 11th place, their second-highest finish in the Premier League ever.

Valencia's increased output attracted the interest of others in the Premier League, and he would leave after three seasons and 84 league matches.

A big move to Manchester United

After impressing at Wigan, Valencia earned a move to Premier League champions Manchester United.

The Ecuadorian completed a £16 million move to Old Trafford in the summer of 2009, in a year of upheaval for the Red Devils.

The move proved to be a fantastic one for all parties. Wigan made an eight-figure profit from his sale, helping the club to invest in the squad and remain in the Premier League for the next few years, building towards that FA Cup win.

Meanwhile, United got a player who would go on to captain the club, and be a stalwart in the side for the next decade. Valencia was signed as Ronaldo's replacement on the right wing, following his £80 million move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009.

Excelling on the right wing, and later moving back to right-back, Valencia played 241 Premier League matches for the Red Devils between 2009 and 2019. He won a host of trophies at Old Trafford, including two Premier League titles, a Europa League and an FA Cup, among many others.

While keeping him would have been a statement of intent for Wigan, they struck gold when they turned the £5 million punt into a £16 million sale after just three years.