CAIRO: Middlesbrough s Egyptian striker Ahmed "Mido Hossam could join his compatriot Amr Zaki at Wigan Athletic before the closure of the January transfer window, according to Sky Sports. Mido would join Wigan in a swap deal that will see striker Marlon King, who is on loan at Hull City, heading to Middlesbrough. Both clubs are hoping to strike a loan deal although they are both open to permanent moves, Sky Sports said. Wigan coach Steve Bruce has been a keen admirer of Mido, who scored four Premiership goals for Middlesbrough so far this season despite being used mainly as a substitute. The Latics were close to signing the 25-year-old last summer but he ended up staying at Boro after coach Gareth Southgate assured him he was an integral part of the team s plans. But Mido still found it difficult to play regular first-team football as Southgate relied on Afonso Alves and Tuncay Sanli upfront. If the towering striker completes a move to Wigan, who lies 8th in the Premiership table, he will most probably partner with Egypt teammate Zaki. Zaki has made a stunning impact since joining Wigan from Zamalek on a season-long loan in the summer. He scored 10 goals so far, four behind Chelsea striker and the league s leading scorer Nicolas Anelka.
