King joins Wigan and denies reports he failed Fulham medical

Marlon King has signed for Wigan from Watford after his protracted transfer to Fulham broke down.

Striker King had looked set to move to Craven Cottage from the Championship club, only for reports to emerge claiming he failed a medical.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce was quick to step in to take the forward to the JJB Stadium. King said: "It's all about taking your opportunities. I've been given one and I want to take it, hopefully things will work out well for me."

Regarding Fulham, King said: "I went down, had a long medical and for some reason there was a hitch.

"I think the two clubs were trying to renegotiate the fee. It had nothing to do with me, but when I picked up the papers I see I had failed a medical!

"I know my body is 110 per cent. I didn't fail a medical. I've been playing for a season and a half now and scoring goals – nothing has changed.

"As far as I'm concerned and Wigan are concerned, I didn't fail a medical. I had a medical today [at Wigan] and everything went smoothly, so I decided to make the switch.

"I was speaking to Fulham for the last week and a half, I came down to get things sorted out and for whatever reason it didn't happen. Steve Bruce made it clear he wanted me here and I am a Wigan player now."

Wigan's captain Mario Melchiot would love to dump former club Chelsea out of the FA Cup today. The 31-year-old is not sure whether he will face the Blues in the fourth-round meeting, with Bruce giving priority to Premier League survival.

Bruce rang the changes for Wigan's 3-0 third-round win at Sunderland, which included leaving Melchiot out of the squad.

"The guys did well when they went up to Sunderland," Melchiot said. "I wasn't involved but it was a great win and we performed well, but now it is going to be a totally different game and different situation.

"Obviously, it is up to the gaffer who starts the game because you know he is also thinking about the league.

"That is more important than the FA Cup, but despite that this is a game all the players want to be involved in, and I definitely want to be part of the team.

"But he [Bruce] is the manager, he picks the players and decides who is going to start, but for me as a player, I want to play."