Franco Di Santo: Former Wigan striker signs for Werder Bremen

Former Wigan striker Franco Di Santo has joined Werder Bremen on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal.

Di Santo, 24, was a free agent after his contract at the DW Stadium expired at the end of June.

The Argentina international joined Wigan from Chelsea in 2010 and scored 13 times in 92 league appearances.

"Werder have a very good name and the Bundesliga is a very attractive league," he said.  "I want to show what I am capable of here."

Wigan's James McClean feels Championship won't harm international aspirations

Wigan winger James McClean has no fears dropping down a division will harm his international aspirations.

The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland international took a pay cut to move from Premier League side Sunderland to relegated Wigan, making his debut in Sunday's Community Shield defeat by Manchester United.

The winger looked to have dropped down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light following Paolo Di Canio's acquisitions of Emanuele Giaccherini and David Moberg Karlsson during the summer.

MATCH REPORT: Wigan 0-2 Manchester United: Van Persie double seals first trophy for Moyes

Sir Alex Ferguson's successor got the new era off to a winning start as the Red Devils overcame Championship opposition at Wembley

Van Persie opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a brilliant header into the bottom corner before sealing the victory in the second half with a deflected strike.

United were far from convincing against the FA Cup holders - now playing in the Championship - but Moyes will be relieved to have successfully won the trophy after leading his side out at Wembley for the first time.

Sir Alex Ferguson either won or shared the Community Shield nine times and it would have been a welcome relief for Moyes to focus on matters on the pitch following an unsettling summer of transfer speculation.

ARE TROPHIES EVERYTHING?

 Watching very happy Wigan fans enjoying their team cavorting with the FA Cup was a delightful sight, but as the actors always say “it should have been me”..Hmmmm

Why wasn’t it us Arsenal? We should have beaten Blackburn and then enjoyed a relatively smooth run to Wembley, and we would have beaten a surprisingly poor Man City.

Did the Arsenal team deserve to lose that day?  Well, the fact that Tomas Rosicky hit the bar and that we had a myriad of shots compared to Blackburn’s one would indicate that the best team lost. It happens – just like it did at Wembley -à Wigan Vs Man City.

I love the FA Cup and the Final was no exception; the Wigan story had to be written as did Wimbledon’s freak win over Liverpool and Stoke’s over Leeds (back in the days of black and white).I copied that. Or that horrible day when that ugly, whingeing Hammer, Trevor Brooking scored the only headed goal of his career. Copied that as well.

I have been spoiled. I have seen The Arsenal win the FA Cup on many occasions – and yes, I know how long ago the last one was – all were brilliant days out. Even when we won having been totally outplayed and Patrick Vieira4′s last kick of his Arsenal career sent me home deliriously happy.

The reverse is true – losing a Cup Final scars one for life. I can remember the pain of them all. The Man City fans will have that loss in their memories for a long time to come – whether they go on to win trophies by the dozen they will still be haunted by being beaten by a massive underdog. We know!

But – Are trophies everything? My immediate response is a definite NO. I immediately think of Kipling and the two impostors of Triumph and Defeat. Unfortunately, on an emotional basis I veer towards a positive response – maybe it is true – Trophies are what it is all about. Second is nothing, second is losing, come second and you have wasted both time and energy. Second is Nowhere.

Or is it? According to Kipling (English short-story writer, poet, and novelist) and many others, the taking part is all important not the victory; the journey not the arrival.

Be honest though, weren’t you just a bit jealous of those joyful Wigan fans? I was. And the truth is I am desperate for us to win a Trophy and not the bloody EMIRATES CUP.