Wigan Athletic Face Competition for Veteran EFL Forward

Wigan Athletic are reportedly keen on signing EFL veteran Jordan Rhodes, but face competition.

Wigan are set for their third season in League One after a mid-table finish last season, ending the campaign in 15th.

Manager Ryan Lowe may hope to improve on last season to climb the table and fight for promotion.

Lowe is undergoing his first window as Wigan manager and has already begun preparations for the new season.

The Latics have been busy this window, signing forwards Paul Mullin, Christian Saydee and Dara Costelloe. They have also signed midfielders Callum Wright and Fraser Murray.

It seems they now want to sign free agent Jordan Rhodes, but face competition from Burton Albion.

Rhodes has made 442 appearances in his career, contributing to over 200 goals.

Wigan keen on Rhodes.

According to Alan Nixon, Wigan Athletic are keen on signing EFL veteran Jordan Rhodes on a free transfer.

The Latics are keen on bringing in the experienced striker to add more cover.

They face competition, though, with Burton Albion also interested in signing the Scottish International.

Burton manager Gary Bowyer is reportedly keen on reuniting with Rhodes, whom he managed at Blackburn Rovers.

How did Rhodes fare last season?

Rhodes struggled to make an impact last season, with most of his gametime coming as a substitute for both Blackpool and Mansfield Town.

The 35-year-old spent the first half of the season at parent club Blackpool, where he struggled for gametime. Rhodes made 21 appearances for Blackpool in the league (six starts), picking up an assist in a 2-1 win against Exeter City.

Rhodes found more gametime in cup competitions, scoring three times in seven matches across the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.

It was a similar story for the Scottish international during his loan move at Mansfield. The forward made 14 appearances (three starts), scoring once in a 1-1 draw versus Stevenage Town.

Overall, Rhodes made 42 appearances for both Blackpool and Mansfield in all competitions, scoring four times and assisting once.

Would this be a good signing for Wigan?

It is manager Ryan Lowe’s first window as Latics manager, and he has already begun preparations for the upcoming season.

They have already signed loanees Paul Mullin and Callum Wright, as well as Christian Saydee, Dara Costelloe and Fraser Murray on permanent deals.

However, if the Latics want to push up the table and fight for promotion, they may need to add some more depth to their side, and one player who can strengthen their squad is Jordan Rhodes.

Rhodes would join Wigan with 442 appearances in the EFL, with 186 of them coming in League One, scoring 86 goals and assisting 16.

This experience could be helpful for Wigan. They would be getting a striker with bags of experience in the league, which shows he knows and understands the league well, which could make it easier for him to settle at Wigan and hit the ground running.

Rhodes would also add good depth for the Latics. Manager Lowe usually sets his team up with two strikers, but with only Mullin, Saydee and Costelloe as natural strikers, adding someone like Rhodes with his experience could be a good option as a backup to bring on and rotate.

While it may be seen as a risk due to his age, Wigan would be getting an experienced striker with an excellent goal record and someone who can add depth up top.

It will be interesting to see if Wigan sign Rhodes and if they can push for promotion.