REPUBLIC OF IRELAND international James McClean will remain at Wigan Athletic next season as the club attempts to regain promotion to the Championship.

It had been believed that McClean was out of contract this summer but relegated Wigan today confirmed that their Player of the Season for 2022/23 will stay put for next season’s League One campaign.

McClean had recently been linked with a return to his hometown club Derry City, but this was denied by both the player himself and City manager Ruaidhrí Higgins.

The 34-year-old played in all 46 league games for Wigan this season and captained Shaun Maloney’s side when a number of first-team players sat out the final day in protest at their unpaid wages.

He scored three goals and laid on eight assists in a campaign which saw The Latics finish bottom of the table.

Wigan, who will begin next season with a four-point deduction due to their unpaid-wage issue, today released six players from their first-team squad.

Also staying put, however, will be Republic of Ireland internationals Will Keane and Jamie McGrath, as well as former Ireland U21 Anthony Scully.

McGrath, however, spent the past season on loan at Dundee United and is expected to depart Wigan in the summer.

Elsewhere, uncapped former Republic of Ireland call-up Ian Lawlor has rejoined League Two Doncaster Rovers on a two-year deal.

The 28-year-old goalkeeper previously spent four and a half years at Doncaster after leaving Manchester City, through whose youth system he rose into senior football.

The Dubliner was part of the Doncaster side that won promotion from League One in 2017 before departing the club in 2021 having made 85 appearances.

Lawlor has spent the last two seasons at Dundee but will this summer reunite with Doncaster and their manager Grant McCann, under whom he worked during his previous spell at the club.