Garcia loses his leukaemia fight
FORMER Wigan defender Juan Carlos Garcia has died at the age of 29 following a battle with leukaemia.
Garcia had been diagnosed with the illness in early 2015 and remained in England until returning to his native Honduras towards the end of last year.
He joined Wigan from Olimpia on a three-year contract in 2013 but made just one appearance, against Manchester City in the League Cup.
However, Garcia featured in two of his country’s games at the 2014 World Cup. Wigan chairman David Sharpe said: “This is such tragic news and we send our deepest condolences to Juan Carlos’s family and friends who have had to watch this sad story unfold. We have offered what support we can but, despite the best possible treatment at Christie’s Hospital, Juan Carlos has tragically not been able to beat this terrible illness. At just 29 years old, he was far too young to be taken.”
Wigan will hold a minute’s silence before Saturday’s home game with Peterborough. AUSTRIA right-back Moritz Bauer has completed a transfer to Stoke, having been a target of axed manager Mark Hughes. The Potters have made Bauer, left, their first January signing on a four-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee from Rubin Kazan. Stoke hope to have a new boss in place before the game on Monday at Manchester United. ●WINGER Georges-Kevin Nkoudou has joined Burnley from Tottenham on loan for the remainder of the campaign.