Filed under: Wigan, Premier League, Football
Wigan's desire to bring Ali Al-Habsi back to the DW Stadium means the future is looking increasingly bleak for Chris Kirkland. In fact it looks all-but over for the one-cap England goalkeeper.Roberto Martinez landed Oman stopper Al-Habsi on a season-long loan from Bolton last term and it proved a shrewd move - unless you are Kirkland that is.
Al-Habsi established himself as an instant favourite having helped the Latics beat the drop on the final day of the Premier League campaign, before winning the club's Player of the Year Award.
He is in line to return on a permanent basis, despite Wigan having had two bids rejected for the goalkeeper already. But where does this now leave the out-of-favour Kirkland?
In short, he is on his way out. He is among the high-earners with wages in the region of £30,000 and Martinez and chairman Dave Whelan will no doubt want his hefty salary off the books with a year remaining on his current contract.
His most likely destination though is likely to be following a journey downward, with the Lancashire club ready to allow the man tipped to England's long-term goalkeeper leave on a free transfer this summer.
While there would be offers aplenty from the Premier League in years gone by, Kirkland may have to face up the realisation that the Championship beckons.
Gerard Houllier was keen to be reunited with the former Liverpool keeper at Aston Villa, but the Frenchman's exit from Villa Park has surely ended any hope of Kirkland replacing the evergreen Brad Friedel, who left to join Tottenham earlier this month.
Sunderland were another side keen on Kirkland but their interest has since cooled and are poised to turn to Coventry's highly-rated Keiren Westwood.
There is little doubt that many will also be put off my Kirkland's dismal injury record rather than anything else.
Kirkland's career has been rocked by a succession of injury layoffs since he made his debut for Coventry in 1999 - when he was immediately earmarked as one of the next stars of the generation.
Yet 12 years on, he has just one England cap to his name and just under 200 league appearances for five different clubs - including three on loan - under his belt.
After making his solitary England appearance against Greece in 2006, his father netted a handsome profit after placing a bet at odds of 100-1 that he would play for the national team before the age of 30.
Kirkland will feel he is due some luck now himself once he comes to terms with the fact he needs to make a fresh start.
He is coming off the back of a torrid season where he was ousted from the No.1 spot after the first two games, in which he leaked ten goals against Blackpool and Chelsea.
His only two remaining games was when Al-Habsi was ineligible to play against his parent club, with Kirkland's bid to impress curtailed by another injury as he was carried off with concussion at the Reebok in January.
A three-game loan spell at his hometown club Leicester City was cut short after he was recalled by Martinez but he spent the rest of the season on the sidelines.
Time is running out for Kirkland to fulfil his potential. It may mean taking less money and dropping a step down. If means regular football, then it's an option he will have to take to ensure a career doesn't go to waste all together.
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