Wigan boss Shaun Maloney opens up on ‘difficult’ Charlie Hughes Hull City transfer
The exciting defender could make his debut against Sheffield United on Friday evening
Wigan Athletic chief Shaun Maloney has opened up on what he described as a ‘difficult’ transfer that saw Charlie Hughes join Hull City midway through last month.
As reported by Hull Live, City activated a release clause in the fresh contract Hughes signed at the DW Stadium last year at the height of the Latics’ financial troubles, paying up £3.5m to snap up the highly-rated England Under-20 defender.
Maloney, who is a former Tigers player and still holds City in high regard from that spell in East Yorkshire, admits the whole process was a challenge as he faces up to life without a player he, and the club, were desperate to keep hold of.
“It was a very difficult situation for everyone involved,” Maloney told Wigan Today. “Because in that instance, there were things within that transfer that we were obligated to do. And that goes back to last summer, when we were obviously going through the well-documented financial difficulties under the previous ownership. So although it was so long ago, it’s still having a massive influence on certain situations.
“The fee was undisclosed on both sides, but I know some figures came out from elsewhere, and the fans will obviously have their thoughts on that. I think in that instance…it was very difficult for the ownership, because issues relating from before they came in were still having a massive impact on their running of the club and transfer negotiations.”
Maloney was full of praise for the 20-year-old central defender and the role his family played 12 months ago in signing terms with his hometown club that would at least protect the Latics moving forward, should he leave the club. Although some Athletic fans feel the fee City paid was below market rate, Maloney has only good things to say, and wants the youngster to return for a proper goodbye in the coming weeks.
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