Wigan Athletic must consider extending 21-year-old's contract: Opinion
09/10/2024 06:49 AM
Wigan Athletic defender James Carragher is expected to get plenty of game time under his belt this season for the League One side.
Wigan Athletic have handed the youngster four appearances so far in this campaign. He has played at both centre-back and right-back so is a versatile option.
Carragher, 21, spent time out on loan from The Brick Community Stadium earlier this year up in the Scottish Highlands with Inverness Caledonian Thistle to get some experience. He went on to play 20 matches for the Scottish Championship side in all competitions to boost his development under Duncan Ferguson.
He has since returned to his parent club and had a positive pre-season with the Latics. The Liverpudlian is now an established member of the first-team squad and they should tie him down to a new deal as soon as they can to ensure they are covered in the long run.
Wigan Athletic contract latest
Wigan Athletic handed Carragher a contract last April running until 2025. Their manager Shaun Maloney said at the time: “James is a talented young central defender who has a great future ahead of him. The pathway from the Academy is already there for all to see and James has an opportunity to play a big part in the first team next season if he continues to work hard. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The Latics risk losing him for nothing next year though if they don’t extend his stay in the meantime.
Carragher was on the books at Liverpool from 2011 to 2017 and represented the Reds at various different youth levels before heading out the exit door.
He has since been with Wigan Athletic and has risen up through their ranks.
The son of former Liverpool favourite Jamie Carragher was loaned out to Oldham Athletic in 2022 and featured on six occasions for the National League outfit.
He will now be looking to become one of the first names on Maloney’s team sheet over the coming months as the Latics look to hit some form.
They saw key man Charlie Hughes leave for Hull City over the summer and although it was a massive blow to lose such a highly-rated asset, it does open the door for someone like Carragher to step up and stamp their mark.
What next for Wigan Athletic?
Wigan Athletic like to give young players minutes these days with Maloney.
They need to think about Carragher’s long-term situation over the next couple of months, especially if he is going to start playing a lot more.
The North West outfit are back in action this weekend against Bristol Rovers away as they look to bounce back from their loss to Birmingham City last time out.
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