Wigan manager Owen Coyle has all but confirmed United starlet Will Keane will be joining Nick Powell on loan at Wigan.

Keane was linked with a move to the DW Stadium last week, with journalist Gregg Farrimond, of the Wigan Evening Post and Wigan Observer confirming that Owen Coyle would be entrusted with the development of the England youth international.

Now Wigan manager Coyle has spoken on the matter and, whilst not mentioning Keane by name, has confirmed that Wigan will be signing ‘a young player who is an exciting player’.

Speaking to the Wigan Evening Post, Coyle confirmed:

“Everything is agreed in principle, verbally, but until we get that signed , I’m very reluctant to give any name. “I’m always reluctant until everything is concluded to commit myself but we are very close to getting that concluded – I am very hopeful of that. “It’s a young player who is an exciting player, a striker who I’ve watched for a number of years and I’m a huge admirer of. “It will certainly add to the squad, we want to make sure that we have a squad that will cope with the demands of the set of fixtures that are in front of us.”

Wigan are in need of a striker, at times having to employ Powell as a forward With Keane on their books it allows the youngster to get vital first team football as well as allowing Powell to play in the position that both Sir Alex Ferguson and Dario Gradi believe he will eventually occupy, central midfield.

