Chapter 625: The Old Guards!

The win over Everton settled one matter, but Wigan’s attention continued to be divided, considering the things happening on the pitch too.

With the January window nearing its close, the club still had decisions to make over several players, while Dawson waited to see how much of his squad would remain unchanged by the deadline.

Brighton were next on the fixture list.

For now, though, the transfer market had as much of the club’s attention as the training ground.

Their first departure had already been completed before the Everton match.

After weeks of inquiries, Wolverhampton Wanderers had reached an agreement with the Latics for Baba Adeeko, with the midfielder making the move for a fee of ￡3 million.

It was a relatively straightforward deal.

Adeeko had struggled for regular minutes behind Leo, Tiehi and Max Power, and Wolves offered him the possibility of a more prominent role.

For Wigan, the transfer brought in money for a player who had found opportunities limited, while allowing Adeeko to pursue the next stage of his career.

The announcement attracted some attention among Wolves supporters, particularly those hoping to see the young midfielder develop, but there was little fuss elsewhere.

Most Wigan fans had barely seen him play enough to form a strong opinion.

A few wished him well.

Others simply accepted it as something natural for a club to do when a young player needed minutes that weren’t readily available.

It was the next piece of transfer news that generated a far stronger reaction.

A day after the Everton game, Wigan officially confirmed that they had rejected AC Milan’s offer for Ezra.

The Italian club had submitted a bid worth ￡40 million, hoping to lure the winger away from the Premier League leaders.

Given Milan’s stature and the size of the offer, there had been considerable discussion about whether Wigan would be willing to negotiate.

The transfer would have represented a significant sale for a club that had spent much of its recent history operating on a considerably smaller scale.

But the decision had become clearer after Ezra and his agent, Noah, met with the club to discuss the situation.

Ezra had no intention of leaving in January.

Noah, who also represented Leo, communicated his client’s position to Wigan, making it clear that the winger wanted to remain with the team.

With the player unwilling to move, and the club equally reluctant to lose him halfway through a historic campaign, the proposal was wholeheartedly rejected.

Wigan had their answer, and Milan would have to look elsewhere.

The news was received warmly by the supporters.

Ezra had become an important part of the team, offering pace, direct running and the ability to create chances when Wigan needed to break down stubborn defences.

His performances had helped turn him into one of the most exciting and dangerous wingers in the league, and that sentiment appeared repeatedly across Wigan’s online community.

Some supporters pointed out that Ezra was a homegrown talent who had developed within the club’s system, making his continued presence particularly valuable.

Others argued that, if he eventually decided to leave, Wigan would have more opportunities to negotiate a substantial fee, especially if he continued improving.

For the moment, though, there was little reason to think about selling him.

Wigan had kept one of their most important players and the other party was also satisfied with the decision.

The club, however, weren’t finished with their own business, either.

Shortly after the announcement concerning Ezra, Wigan confirmed another agreement, this time involving a name that caught the attention of football supporters well beyond their own fanbase.

Jordan Henderson was joining the Premier League leaders on a free transfer from Saudi league side Al-Ettifaq.

The former Liverpool captain had been linked with Ajax throughout the transfer window, and many had expected him to continue his career abroad.

Instead, the experienced midfielder had agreed to return to the Premier League, signing with Wigan until the end of the season.

His contract was reportedly worth ￡80,000 per week, a considerable commitment for a club that had spent years operating outside the top flight.

Nevertheless, the deal made sense from Wigan’s perspective.

Henderson was no longer the player who had lifted the Champions League and Premier League trophies with Liverpool, but he brought something the Latics could use as the season entered its most demanding period.

He had played under elite managers, competed in title races and experienced the pressure that came with fighting for major honours.

His understanding of what was required at the highest level could prove valuable in a dressing room where several players were experiencing a challenge of this scale for the first time.

Dawson wanted more than another name on the squad list.

He wanted someone who understood how to manage the difficult weeks ahead, when fatigue accumulated, results mattered more, and the pressure from outside grew harder to ignore.

Henderson offered that experience.

Still, the announcement came as a surprise.

Across English football, supporters debated the move, with some questioning why a player of Henderson’s background would choose Wigan when other options might have been available.

Others considered it an interesting decision from a midfielder who had already experienced so much of the game.

For Wigan fans, the reaction was largely positive, though not without a few raised eyebrows.

They had spent months watching their club climb the Premier League table, and now they were signing a former Liverpool captain.

It was the kind of business that would have seemed far-fetched not so long ago.

And Henderson wasn’t the only experienced player arriving.

Not long after his signing was announced, Wigan confirmed that talks with Fulham over Willian had been completed.

The former Chelsea winger had agreed to join the Latics, giving Dawson another option in the wide areas.

The Brazilian was expected to provide cover and experience rather than immediately displace the players already established in the side.

With Ezra, Callum Lang and Carlo Regutti ahead of him in the pecking order, Willian would effectively become the fourth option on the wings.

Dawson had also decided to return James McClean to his more familiar wing-back role, where his experience and work rate could be put to better use.

The signing added depth to a squad that would soon have to manage a demanding run of fixtures.

Willian had played at the highest level for years, and his ability to operate in tight spaces could be useful when Wigan faced teams determined to defend deep.

Still, the announcement created a different kind of debate.

First Henderson, then Willian.

Both experienced players, both arriving while Wigan’s younger talents were attracting attention from clubs with considerably greater spending power.

Some supporters began joking that the Latics were turning into a retirement home.

The comments weren’t entirely serious, but they reflected a genuine concern.

Wigan were bringing in older players while Adeeko had already left and several of their younger stars were being linked with moves away.

Fans who had spent months celebrating the club’s unexpected rise began asking whether the recruitment strategy was changing.

We’re signing the old guard while everyone else is trying to buy our future.

Others were quick to defend the club.

Henderson and Willian were arriving on deals that carried less financial risk than expensive long-term contracts, and both could help a squad that needed experience as much as it needed talent.

There was also a difference between signing proven professionals to strengthen the team and selling important young players simply because another club had offered more money.

The two deals, they argued, were evidence that Wigan were trying to compete rather than merely survive.

It continued over the next few days like this, but debate had barely settled when another announcement arrived.