Former Hibernian manager Shaun Maloney is keen on a return to Wigan Athletic following his time with the Scottish Premiership side, according to a report from The Sun.

The 39-year-old first joined the Latics back in 2011, with his highlight arguably coming in the FA Cup final back in 2013 when he provided the assist for Ben Watson's goal, a goal that caused a huge shock considering the gulf in quality between the two sides.

He then went on to leave the club in 2015 to join Chicago Fire, before finishing his professional playing career with Hull City.

Linking up with Roberto Martinez once more, he was involved in Belgium's international setup as part of the Spanish coach's backroom team but finally went it alone in December last year when he was appointed Hibernian boss.

However, his spell there lasted just a matter of months as he was dismissed in April earlier this year, leaving him as a free agent following his departure and subsequent failure to agree terms with Dundee.

That hasn't damaged his appetite to return to the game though - and is keen to return to his former club after seeing Leam Richardson dismissed following a poor set of recent results.

The Verdict:

Young coaches are seeming to thrive more and more in this division with the likes of Russell Martin, Mick Beale and John Eustace doing well at Swansea City, Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City.

However, Maloney doesn't have a huge amount of experience under his belt and probably hasn't been a head coach long enough to be included as a serious candidate at the DW Stadium, even with his former ties to the club.

And looking at some of the names that are being floated about as potential successors for Richardson, they would probably be better alternatives to Maloney at this stage, although the fact he's worked with Belgium is a big plus on his CV.

Overseeing the work of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and others, Wigan may be attracted by that and this is why it wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world if they decided to go down this route.

He would have a daunting task in his quest to keep the Latics up though - because they didn't invest a huge amount in the summer and still find themselves in a dangerous position despite yesterday's win against Blackpool.