Why Curtis Tilt's move is a 'win-win' situation for Paul Warne

Tilt, who only signed for the Millers in January, has joined the Latics on loan until the start of the new year, with the 28-year-old having made just one senior appearance for the club thus far.

A glute problem ensured that Tilt had to bide his time for his debut and after making his only senior appearance in March’s 3-1 defeat to Rochdale, the centre-half copped further frustration when the League One season was curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 29-year-old then had a hip operation in the summer.

With the Millers having brought in Angus MacDonald and Wes Harding in the close season and the club possessing a plethora of options in the middle of defence, Tilt had expressed a desire to head out on loan to boost his hopes of game time.

Sunderland and Tilt's former club Blackpool has also been linked with Tilt, contracted with the Millers until the summer of 2023, along with the Latics.

On Tilt's move, Warne commented: "Curtis has joined Wigan on loan, he has gone until January.

"I just needed him to play games. Since the start of the year he has only played five games.

"He has had a big operation on his hip, he didn't have the pre-season everyone else did, and everyone knows how obsessed I am with pre-season.

"He found himself, through no fault of his own fifth choice so he just needs to play football.

"We have two games a week now for the next month and then an international break and we didn't have the opportunity to get him games behind closed doors, so I didn’t think he was in a state to play first team football.

"That is what going on loan enables him to do, it is great, Wigan get a very good League One defender who can play in the Championship when he comes back.

"It is a win-win for us, Curtis wants to play football as well so it's good for him. People think that when you loan someone out that is the end of them but that isn't always the case, I want him to go and play well and get back in my team here.

"It's no different to when Icky (Michael Ihiekwe) went to Accrington and then came back nd played the rest of the season. It will do him good, it will give him confidence and match fitness and sharpness."