Striker Holt in Latics link

GRANT HOLT . . . contract terminated by Wigan.

ATHLETIC manager John Sheridan is set to boost his squad before tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline with a new striker top of the list.

Veteran forward Grant Holt, whose contract at Wigan was terminated by mutual consent over the

weekend, is rated by bookies as an even-money shot to make a switch to SportsDirect.com Park..

Blackburn had been favourites to land the 34-year-old, ex-Norwich star, but that was before Jordan Rhodes’ proposed big-money switch to Middlesbrough fell through.

Shrewsbury is one rival known to be keen on Holt. It remains to be seen whether Athletic’s finances could stretch to offering a suitable deal for a player who was the Shrews’ record signing from Nottingham Forest eight years ago.

Holt, who suffered a serious knee injury that restricted him to 27 appearances for Wigan after leaving Carrow Road in 2013, has also played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale, Huddersfield, Blackpool, Aston Villa and Wolves in a long and distinguished career.

Boss Sheridan is seeking a strong target man his other strikers can play off as he attempts to add firepower to a squad that has managed only 27 league goals - a rate of one a game, the lowest in the division.

Also on the shopping list is a winger — Jason Banton, released by Wycombe and formerly under Sheridan’s charge at Plymouth, is a name circulating; while further down the priorities list is a goalkeeper. Queens Park Rangers stopper Joe Lumley is reportedly a target for Athletic as well as League One rivals Swindon and Colchester.

Players could be leaving too as Athletic tries to reorder a squad operating under its third manager of the campaign.

Meanwhile, former Athletic centre-back James Tarkowski appears set for a £3million move from Brentford to Burnley. The 23 year old moved to Griffin Park two years ago for a six-figure fee that included a sell-on clause - meaning Athletic could get a large cash windfall if the deal goes through.



ATHLETIC’S game at Peterborough, which had been rescheduled for February 9, has had to be postponed again. Posh drew 2-2 at West Brom in the fourth round of the FA Cup and the replay will now be at London Road next midweek. There is no new date yet for the Oldham game, meaning Athletic have a full week between Saturday’s home clash with Blackpool and Wigan on February 13.