Wigan Athletic forward Maleace Asamoah has joined Shamrock Rovers on loan until the end of the League of Ireland season.
Having been limited to just 439 minutes of League One football this season, Asamoah has been deemed surplus to requirements for the remainder of the Latics’ battle to avoid relegation to the fourth tier.
He will instead return to the Republic of Ireland, a division in which he excelled during a temporary spell at Waterford two years ago.
In his last appearance in the north-west, the Oxford-born man was sent off in second half stoppage time at the weekend.
Asamoah joined Wigan in the summer of 2024, a move which perhaps raised a few eyebrows after he struggled at Fleetwood Town. Following just two league matches for the Cod Army, he was better utilised in Ireland. Six goals and four assists in just 17 top-flight appearances convinced Wigan to sign him, but that decision hasn’t paid dividends.
He quickly found himself out of favour under Shaun Maloney, but ended the season with a run in the side after Ryan Lowe took over. Asamoah scored in his first appearance under his new boss in a draw with Barnsley, before providing the assist for the winner at Shrewsbury Town the following month. Moving into a central forward role appeared to suit him better, but that wasn’t the catalyst for an improvement this season.
Asamoah soon dropped out of the side once more, with his only league goal coming against the division’s bottom side, Port Vale. Incidentally, his sole League One start this campaign came against Lincoln City last month. Two goals and two assists across all competitions are hardly the stats that an attacker should be putting up, even with limited minutes at The Brick Community Stadium this term. Additionally, he was the second Latics man to be sent off at the weekend, following an awful challenge in stoppage time against Stockport County.
Wigan Stronger In Attack
That fixture at Edgeley Park saw another Wigan attacker move top of their goalscoring charts. Joe Taylor has enjoyed a fruitful spell infront of goal since his loan move from Huddersfield Town last month. He scored goals number five and six of his short time so far at the Latics, overtaking another loanee, Paul Mullin, who is now at Bradford City.
The former Imps loanee is up to double figures in League One this season, showing what the Terriers are currently missing. He has scored five times in his last four matches, but won’t have the chance to continue that record at the weekend, as Wigan face his parent club.
It’s set to be a huge game for both sides, who occupy the final relegation place and play-off place. While the Latics have lost five of their last six matches, dropping them into the bottom four places, they won a league game for the first time in 2026 by beating Luton Town last Wednesday. And with Gary Caldwell in charge, they will provide a stern opposition for the West Yorkshire outfit, who increased their gap to seventh-place by beating Barnsley on Saturday.