Dave Whelan: Owen Coyle deal "agreed in principle"

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has confirmed that the club has "agreed in principle" a deal to bring in Owen Coyle as the club's new manager.

Whelan said that Coyle was the leading candidate of the "five or six" serious contenders to be handed the job.

The 76-year-old said that winning promotion back to the Premier League, and not the Europa League, would be the club's priority next season.

"I have agreed in principle a deal with Owen Coyle," Whelan told Sky Sports News. "At present his agent is talking to our club secretary to finalise the deal. [If all goes well] he will be operating as from tomorrow morning.

"Owen has come across as by far and away the best for the job, and we've had five or six very good applicants for the job.

"I know we're in Europe, but the total and utter priority is to get Wigan back into the Premier League in the next two years."

Coyle's last role was at Bolton Wanderers between 2010 and 2012.