Jackson Martinez

A source close to the club is reporting the possible capture of two young South American internationals during the forthcoming transfer window, with Colombian Jackson Martinez and Honduran Johnny Palacios, brother of Wilson, supposedly in talks with the club.

According to VitalLatics, Martinez, full name Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia, was in Wigan this Monday with a view to securing a January deal worth £3.5million. If this source is to be believed, talks are at an advanced stage, with a fee for the 23 year old having already been agreed little more than two weeks ago.

Martinez, who currently plays for Medellin in the top level of the Columbian League, has four goals in four games this season and has impressed in Colombia’s South American World Cup qualifying campaign.

Also expected to be following Martinez to the DW in the transfer window is Olimpico defender Johnny Palacios. Brother of former Latics man Wilson, Johnny has represented his country at senior level in the 2009 Gold Cup and in World Cup Qualification matches.

A previous attempt to sign the Honduran stumbled over the issuing of a work permit, but recent international appearances should make the process a lot easier this time round.

Latics boss Roberto Martinez will be looking to bolster his forward line after his third choice striker, Marlon King, was sacked by the club. Wigan currently only have two first-team out-and-out strikers in the form of Hugo Rodallega and Jason Scotland, and with defender Maynor Figueroa out for a lengthy period, Martinez is keen to strengthen in the January window.

At the moment, I think it is a big problem in modern football, with the way budgets are, and it is affecting every team… We know our budget, the money we have to spend, but it is not just about that… It is about finding the right players and personalities. We will work on different markets to try to make things happen. — Roberto Martinez in the Wigan Evening Post

In recent times, Latics have had major problems in signing British players and have resorted to looking abroad. South America has served them well, however, as players such as Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia and Honduran Maynor Figueroa have helped keep an international flavour to the squad in the past few seasons. Fellow countryman Hendry Thomas also has played a large part in Latics’ 2009/10 campaign thus far, filling the gap left by Lee Cattermole in the central midfield area this August.

Image courtesy AP