Wigan keen to keep Junior until the summer

by Lyndon Lloyd | 21/12/2015

15 Comments [Jump to last]

Wigan Athletic are hoping to get Francisco Junior back from a groin problem quickly and will then see about extending his loan from Everton beyond January.

The Portuguese midfielder is temporarily back at Finch Farm to undergo treatment on an injury that has been nagging him for much of the season but he has done enough to impress Latics boss Gary Caldwell.

Junior's current loan spell is set to expire on 26th January but if he recovers his fitness than Wigan will inquire about keeping him until the end of the season.

�He has a problem in his groin area, and he�s been sent back to Everton," Caldwell said in the Liverpool Echo. �We don�t know the full extent of it, they�ll be assessing it there.

�We�ll see how he is this week, and hopefully it�s not too bad and we can get him back soon.

�He�s definitely here until next month, and we�ll be able to assess the loan situation as soon as we get the full diagnosis. It�s definitely something we�ll be looking at extending if we can.

�I think he�s done great for us while he�s been here. He�s had a few niggling injuries that have knocked him back, but when he�s played he�s showed great quality on the ball, and he�s shown he can pop up with important goals.�

The 23-year-old has only made one senior appearance for Everton in the ill-fated League Cup defeat at Leeds United three years ago but has made 11 in League One and the FA Cup for Wigan, scoring once.

Reader Comments (15)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Minik Hansen
1 Posted 21/12/2015 at 22:54:31

Francisco Junior keep stepping up, COYB.

Anthony Dwyer
2 Posted 22/12/2015 at 01:50:48

Had talent, but like George Green, his chance has gone.
Move him out, give a different young player a chance.

Liam Reilly
3 Posted 22/12/2015 at 07:49:30

Didn't Osman only make the first team at 21, coming back from a loan at Derby.

Don't rule him out just yet, when he's not had a fair crack at the whip.

Nick Entwistle
4 Posted 22/12/2015 at 07:56:26

Wow. He's still at the club! What's Vidarsson up to?

Jim Bennings
5 Posted 22/12/2015 at 08:56:59

A David Moyes signing way back in early January 2012, he must be about 25th in the pecking order for a midfield starting position now.

I expect much like a few other signings from around that period such as Magaye Gaye, Joao Silva, Tollis Vellios, he will more than likely end up plying his trade in the lower league's, if not, go back abroad to the Dutch or Belgian league, somewhere like that.

Good luck to the lad.

Allan Barratt
6 Posted 22/12/2015 at 08:59:00

League 1 is about his level.

Brent Stephens
7 Posted 22/12/2015 at 09:10:07

A pity. He's good on the ball but lightweight. Liam Walsh, though also small, might just make it though – skillful and hard.

John Pickles
8 Posted 22/12/2015 at 11:21:24

This must be the only Everton player to have a 'Where are they now' section, whilst still at the club.

Stephen Brown
9 Posted 22/12/2015 at 11:21:39

Is Eddie Youds still an up and coming prospect?

Thomas Surgenor
10 Posted 22/12/2015 at 13:14:53

Another bit of wonderkid nostalgia for you...

Who remembers the Azerbaijan kid we signed? Wonder if he ever made a career for himself.

Michael Kenrick
11 Posted 22/12/2015 at 15:53:53

Thomas, good memory... that would be the one and only Araz Abdullayev. (Why does that make me think of Borat? I see Cohen has a new film coming out too... but I digress.)

I wrote up his TW profile a while ago and haven't bothered updating it... Let us know if you find any further news on the lad.

Alex Kociuba
12 Posted 22/12/2015 at 17:14:00

What happened to Shkodran Mustafi, he was always meant to be a star but I can't think why he left us? Now playing for Valencia (signed at €8M contract over 5 years according to Wikipedia) complete with full international German caps.

Whilst with us, he never played a competitive game (I think?) but yet played for Germany U17s, U18s, U19s and U20s. I seem to remember the German FA even changing their transfer rules because we poached him.

Minik Hansen
13 Posted 22/12/2015 at 23:02:25

Alex, he also has a World Cup medal with Germany! :)

I also come to think of Dier cutting it at Spurs.

Nick Entwistle
14 Posted 23/12/2015 at 10:06:39

I followed Abdullayev for a few seasons as he was on loan in Greek superleague and the like then went back on loan to his original club and I think he just stayed there. Though his Wiki hasn't been updated for a long time.

Sam Greenwood
15 Posted 24/12/2015 at 05:26:44

Riyadh Mahrez was playing at a second-tier French club at 23, and Vardy was playing in the fifth tier at the same age. Look at them now; if Junior is making progress, don't count him out.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.

About these ads