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Angelo Henriquez is one of the many Manchester United youngsters making some sort of loan deal in the January transfer window as the Chilean is now at Wigan Athletic. The 18-year-old striker has yet to make a first-team appearance for United but he has recently scored a goal for Chile's senior side during his debut at that level. In addition, the youngster had an impressive goalscoring rate -- 11 goals from 17 appearances -- for his previous club, Universidad de Chile. Wigan appear ready to give Henriquez his first first-team opportunity in England:
"I’m hoping to get first-team appearances in the Premier League and coming to Wigan will be a very good way to do that, particularly with the style that the gaffer has got the team playing in. Coming to the club is a very big opportunity for me and I am very grateful to Roberto Martinez because he has had the faith in what he has seen from me to bring me here. My job on the pitch is to score goals for the team and hopefully I can give the Wigan Athletic fans some good memories while I am here. I am available to play in the FA Cup against Bournemouth and I have been training hard to get my chance as soon as possible, I’m really excited to get going."
- Henriquez | Source: wiganlatics.co.uk
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez had to this to say about the players coming his way during the January transfer window:
"The fans will have the chance [in the FA Cup tie] to enjoy seeing the work we’ve been doing behind the scenes in helping our young players develop and see the potential they have. As well as that it will also be a chance for them to welcome new faces to the club, such as Angelo Henriquez and Roger Espinoza. It’s an important moment for them to be involved in the match preparation, the matchday environment and ensure that they adapt to our football club very quickly. Ideally both players would have more time to prepare and get used to their new team-mates, but they’re so desperate to play and at some stage we hope to see them on the pitch."
- Martinez
With striker Arouna Kone leaving later this month to join the Ivory Coast for the African Cup of Nations, Henriquez should get an opportunity to establish himself in the Wigan side. Kone and Franco di Santo have been the forwards in Martinez's 3-4-1-2ish system so the young Chilean will likely be competing for Kone's spot in the attack force. Wigan's other January signing, Espizona, is a midfielder so he shouldn't be competing with Henriquez for a spot. Martinez did nicely in helping Tom Cleverley develop when he was on loan to Wigan a few seasons ago and the obvious hope is that the Spaniard can play a similar role with United's young striker.