BURY have signed Wigan Athletic midfielder Josh Laurent on a season-long loan.

The 22-year-old started as a trainee at QPR and after moves to Brentford and Hartlepool joined the Latics in January for an undisclosed fee.

He has made three cup appearances for Wigan this campaign, scoring in their first-round Carabao Cup victory over Blackpool, and played for them once in the Championship last season, against Birmingham City.

Laurent secured the move to the DW Stadium after playing a key role in the Hartlepool side in the first part of last season.

A statement from Bury FC described the 6ft 2ins Leytonstone player as a skilful central midfielder, although he also adds a physical dimension to the central role manager Lee Clark had been looking for.

Clark was known to be unhappy with the cover available in the squad for the centre of the park and Laurent should offer competition for places alongside Brighton loanee Rohan Ince and summer signing Callum Reilly, as well as skipper Stephen Dawson when he returns from injury.

The Bury boss dropped Reilly for Saturday's goalless draw at Rochdale, preferring experienced defender Phil Edwards for the derby duel, but that was never expected to be a long-term solution.

Clark has told centre-midfielder Neil Danns and Andrew Tutte they are free to look elsewhere for first-team football, and Laurent's arrival will see them fall further down the pecking order.

Whether or not Laurent will be ready to step into battle against Scunthorpe at home this Saturday is up for debate, but Clark knows he can count on Edwards if needed, even though the player himself readily admitted at the weekend he was a bit rusty in that position.

"I haven’t played there in a while," he said after Saturday's point. "The last time I played there was about five years ago for Stevenage.

“If the gaffer asked me to do a job in any position I’d do it for the team, that’s what I’m there for.

“He rang me up on the Friday morning, I thought I was in trouble or something, but he asked me have I played midfield before.

“I said when I was at Stevenage a while ago and he said ‘that’ll do for me, you’re going to be playing there Saturday'."