Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle turned his nose up at a big chance to move away from the DW Stadium in the summer transfer window.
Wigan Athletic had already seen Charlie Hughes move away from the club in the summer, moving to Championship side Hull City after the Tigers lost Jacob Greaves to Ipswich Town.
As such, fears were raised when Sam Tickle – another standout academy product – drew interest.
Premier League giants Arsenal were linked with the Latics shot-stopper in their hunt for a homegrown goalkeeping prospect. And, after the window slammed shut, it was reported that Tickle had in fact rejected the chance to join the Gunners.
The 22-year-old favoured staying as a number one with Wigan Athletic rather than taking up a backup role, despite the magnitude of a move to the Emirates Stadium and the likely hefty pay rise that would have followed.
Now, amid his continued impressive performances, it has been highlighted that he sits above the goalkeeper he would have been an understudy to in a key area.
Top of the pile
As highlighted by playmakerstats on X, no goalkeeper has kept more clean sheets in 2024 than Wigan Athletic number one Tickle. He has managed 15 shutouts this calendar year, with only Leeds United’s Illan Meslier able to equal that number.
Lukas Jensen, who swapped Lincoln City for Millwall in the summer, is on 14.
And, sat on 13 behind Tickle is Arsenal star David Raya.
Arthur Okonkwo of Wrexham is another player with links to the Gunners. He came through their youth academy but was released in the summer off the back of a strong loan with the Red Dragons, who he is now with permanently.
One of the best
Tickle is very quickly emerging as one of the country’s best goalkeeping prospects. He is alongside some fantastic company on that list and Wigan Athletic are lucky to have him.
The Warrington-born shot-stopper kept his seventh clean sheet of the 2024/25 campaign at the weekend as Wigan Athletic played out a 0-0 draw with Stockport County. The Latics and Tickle are now a stunning six games without conceding.
Such stats are only going to attract more admiring glances.
Arsenal have already tried to pry him away from Wigan Athletic but as his stock continues to grow, it seems inevitable that more clubs start to take note of just how good Tickle is.
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