The gloom around Selhurst Park only deepened at the close of the January transfer window with news that Crystal Palace, reeling from the effects of enforced administration, consequently sold teenage prodigy Victor Moses to Wigan Athletic for a lower-than-anticipated price of £2.5m.

Having signed a three and a half year contract, the England U19 international became Robert Martinez’s fourth signing in the January transfer window, and with the plaudits coming thick and fast, his debut is eagerly anticipated…

Moses arrived on these shores as an 11yr old asylum seeker following the murder of both parents in his native Nigeria, and to have forged a successful career for himself only stands testament to his strength of character.

Although he comes to the Premiership in a hot streak of form -netting five times in his last seven games- Moses record for Palace is 11 goals in 58 league games, suggesting he is no out-and-out goalscorer.

Great with both feet, he has the pace, power, skill and technique to play on either wing or behind a striker, as well as up top (though at around 5 foot 9 in, he clearly is no target man). On completion of the deal, a clearly delighted Martinez said:

“He is a special talent, you can see that straight away. Like young James McCarthy, who has given us no choice but to play him in the Wigan first team with his attitude and form, Victor is a real player in the making.”

With Martinez occasionally trying out a 4-4-2 as an alternative to his favoured 4-5-1 formation, it seems there is a variety of positions that Moses can fit into in his Wigan team. Those most likely at risk would be Jason Scotland or Paul Scharner, as Moses, a far more multi-functional player, would be able to play either role, – ie, forward or attacking midfield- without losing his effectiveness.

Coming in at just £5.5 in FPL, and classified as a midfielder, Moses arrives at a time where the team, with only one win in eight games following their FA Cup exit to Notts County, look to take advantage of the favourable run of fixtures ahead; the next seven gameweeks not only see Wigan play at home six times, the club also participate in two Double GameWeeks, with their fixtures being (sun, STK&BOL, TOT, bir, LIV, bol&AVL, BUR), which gives the youngster plenty opportunity to show those at the DW Stadium his considerable talents.