Latics manager steps up hunt for pace threat

Photo: Juel Miah

SHOOT ON SIGHT . . . Athletic forward Billy Mckay gets an effort away against AFC Fylde.

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ATHLETIC'S hunt for extra pace will see discussions continue with a winger from the Championship, as two new Belgian players trained with the club today.

Boss Stephen Robinson is keen to tie down a move that will bring about an injection of speed out wide and if a deal can be done, acquiring the target from a division higher could be a "massive" boost according to the manager.

One of the new duo from Belgium is a centre-forward and the other a winger and both come recommended to the club.

The aim at the moment is to get in three new players, including one on loan.

A deal is still on the table for Liandro Martis, but he is thought to now be training with Manchester Uniteds under-21s.

"We are cautious in what we do," said Robinson, who saw his new-look squad defeated 1-0 at AFC Fylde on Saturday. See Page 35.

"We have one more big loan signing that we want to use wisely and we need to add pace up front and out wide.

"We are in the process of negotiating with players."

LINKED

As for Martis, who has also been linked with Leicester, the Athletic boss believes that the offer of a deal is one the 20-year-old should take.

"He is being touted around every club in the country I think, but we have offered him a contract and an opportunity to play in League One," Robinson added.

"We would like him in and I see potential in him. I have only seen him for half a game so for me, it is a little bit of a gamble, but with electric pace like that it's worth taking on a shorter-term contract.

REALISE

"We have made the offer so it is in the agent's hands. Hopefully the boy will realise it would be a good club he is coming to and we hope he wants to be part of what we are building here."

Athletic came out of the game at Kellamergh Park unscathed in terms of injuries and with another useful run-out under their collective belt with the opening game of the new season at Millwall now 12 days away.

Stephen Crainey's free-kick won the friendly contest for the non-league outfit. Only two weeks after arriving at the club to find only five professionals on the books and no staff, though, Robinson felt there were positive signs that his team are making progress.

"People are very influenced by results, but I have said many times, it just does not matter at this stage," he added. "Of course you would like to win 5-0 or 6-0, but that's not where we are and we are not kidding anyone.

"We are two weeks into it with 14 new players and people still getting to know each other's names.

"We were a lot more organised from dead balls and throw-ins and defensively we were sound. It is that little bit in the final third we are well aware we need to work on."