Wigan’s owners say they have now paid all their players and non-playing staff their wages for this month, with chairman Talal Al Hammad apologising for the stress the delay had caused.
The Latics’ players were given a day off training earlier this month amid the latest hold-up, with Wigan having not paid players or staff on time on four previous occasions this season.
Those delays resulted in a three-point deduction by the English Football League for breaching an agreement made in January, when the club accepted a suspended penalty.
The club, who have been relegated from the Championship, issued a fresh statement on Tuesday, accepting investment had not been directed to “the right areas” and promising a board and staff restructure.
“All remaining playing and non-playing staff have now been paid,” the club’s statement began.
“The ownership group, Phoenix 2021 Limited, has committed a substantial seven-figure sum to Wigan Athletic to secure the immediate future of the club. The EFL has visibility of this amount.
“Phoenix 2021 Limited, under the ownership of Mr Abdulrahman Al Jasmi and Wigan Athletic FC chairman Talal Al Hammad, insist they are fully committed to the club.”
Al Hammad added: “I firstly want to apologise again to all staff, players, fans and wider stakeholders for the stress this delay has caused.
“As an ownership group, we have invested well in excess of £20million since we came on board in 2021. Clearly mistakes have been made and this investment has not been spent in the right areas, meaning finances this season have been difficult to sustain.
“This latest payment will ensure our wage obligations are secured until we finalise a sustainable budget for next season.
“There will also shortly be announcements made regarding board and staff restructures which will help us deliver this.
“I finally again want to reassure all Wigan Athletic staff, players and fans that Mr Al Jasmi and I are fully committed to the club with manager Shaun Maloney at the helm.”
Phoenix completed its takeover of Wigan in March 2021, with the club having spent the previous nine months in administration.
Neymar should have won five Ballons d'Or, claims Buffon
Neymar should have won the Ballon d'Or five times, so says Gianluigi Buffon.
Italy great Buffon played alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain for a season in 2018-19.
Neymar joined PSG in a world-record transfer from Barcelona in 2017, but was unable to drive the French club to their maiden Champions League trophy.
He left in 2023 to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but has hardly featured for the Asian giants. He is back on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, having only just returned from a year-long lay-off after sustaining an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.
Neymar was tipped for greatness when he moved to Europe from Santos, but despite a glittering career, especially at Barcelona, he never has managed to win the Ballon d'Or.
And that is something that upsets his former club-mate Buffon.
"It's hard to pick a rival," Buffon told Corriere della Sera
"I've played against three generations: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta… Choose one? Neymar.
"For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballons d'Or."
Even at PSG, Neymar was often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.
When Messi joined that deadly duo in 2021, meanwhile, the trio could not have the impact on the European stage that PSG's Qatari owners would have wished for.
Palestine hold South Korea as Japan down China in World Cup qualifying
Son Heung-min scored but South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Palestine in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.
Tottenham forward Son netted in the 16th minute at Amman International Stadium in Jordan.
That came four minutes after Palestine had taken the lead through Zeid Qunbar.
Yet South Korea could not build on that momentum. Despite finishing with 15 shots, they accumulated only 0.84 expected goals (xG).
South Korea, who are six points clear in qualification Group B, had five shots on target, with Son having four of them, as Palestine held on for a memorable result.
In Group C, Japan consolidated their lead with a 3-1 defeat of China in Xiamen.
Koki Ogawa scored twice, opening the scoring and netting Japan's third.
Ko Itakura put Japan 2-0 up on the stroke of half-time, with Lin Liangming pulling one back for China early in the second half.
The match was briefly disrupted as some spectators ran onto the pitch.
Doncic backs Mbappe to turn fortunes around at Real Madrid
NBA superstar Luka Doncic has backed Kylian Mbappe to "figure it out" after his underwhelming start to life at Real Madrid.
Mbappe has scored eight goals in 16 games for Madrid in all competitions since joining as a free agent following the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.
He has gone four matches without a goal – a run that includes losses to Barcelona and Milan – and has been left out of France's latest squad.
However, Dallas Mavericks guard Doncic – a Real Madrid supporter due to his previous ties with the sports club – can see Mbappe turning things around.
"Obviously [their season] could be better," Doncic told Managing Madrid after the Mavericks' win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.
"But when you get a guy like Mbappe, it takes some time to get used to it. We'll figure it out."
Mbappe has scored six goals in 11 LaLiga appearances for Madrid but has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04.
The forward is averaging a goal every 166 minutes in all competitions this term, compared to one every 88 minutes for PSG in his last of seven seasons in Paris.
Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 last time out in the league to return to winning ways but still trail leaders Barcelona by six points.
Asked about his connections with Madrid, former Los Blancos basketball player Doncic said: "I follow Real Madrid every time.
"I grew up there. They taught me everything, so it's a part of my life. You can call it a secondary home.
"I learned a lot of stuff there and, especially, they gave me a way to be here right now [in Dallas]. I always appreciate that 100%."
Madrid return to action after the international break with a trip to Leganes on Sunday.
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