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Matt Smith takes next step towards Championship move after Wigan Athletic boss all but confirms departure Former Wigan Athletic midfielder Matt Smith featured as a trialist for Championship club Lincoln City on Tuesday evening Matt Smith played for Lincoln City as a trialist in their 5-1 pre-season defeat to Grimsby Town on Tuesday night, as the former Wigan Athletic midfielder looks to secure a move to the Championship ahead of the new campaign. Back in May, Latics confirmed that they were in discussions with several players regarding new contracts ahead of the 2026/27 League One campaign, including Smith, whose contract had expired, but it now appears that his future lies elsewhere. Smith has spent the last three seasons with Wigan, having arrived from Arsenal in the summer of 2023 on a three-year contract, going on to make 99 appearances for Latics across all competitions. When asked for the latest regarding Smith’s future following Wigan’s 3-0 pre-season win over AFC Fylde on Saturday, Latics boss Gary Caldwell told Wigan Today: “He’s not with us. We offered him a contract, (but) he’s not with us... I would say we’ve probably moved on from that with the players that we’ve signed. “We feel we’ve brought good players in that area of the pitch. I think we’ve signed one of the best midfielders in the league last year in Max Power. “I think, whenever I’ve seen him play in League One, one of the best midfielders in Ryan Trevitt, should he stay fit. Jensen Weir was outstanding from February, so I think we’re very strong in that area of the pitch now in that regard, so it’s probably one that’s gone now.” Smith’s appearance as a trialist for Lincoln on Tuesday night seemingly confirmed that his future lies away from Wigan, as the former Arsenal youngster featured from the bench in their 5-1 defeat to Grimsby. In addition, Football Insider transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke also reported on Tuesday that Smith is ‘keen to prove himself at Championship level rather than take the multiple League One options he has had available’. The Harlow-born midfielder came through the youth ranks at Arsenal and spent 16 years with the Premier League giants, and enjoyed loan spells with Swindon Town, Charlton Athletic and Doncaster Rovers before making a permanent move to Wigan in the summer of 2023. Smith went on to feature 99 times for Latics across his three seasons with the club. Lincoln won promotion to the Championship last season for the first time since 1961, having won the League One title.