Dean Whitehead is ready to stay with Huddersfield Town and pursue a promotion hat trick.

The experienced midfielder is reportedly a January transfer window target for Championship rivals Wigan Athletic with the 34-year-old coming off the bench to help fourth-placed Town clinch a 1-0 win at Wigan on Monday afternoon.

It was his eighth outing of the season and 44th in all since moving from Middlesbrough in 2015.

Town boss David Wagner said: “It will be Dean who makes any decision whether to stay or not.

“He will always be an important player for me even if he’s not in the squad.

“I can’t promise him minutes and starts and he knows this.”

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Whitehead, who turned down a transfer to Rotherham United last summer, would be happy with another promotion to the Premier League after twice managing it with Sunderland.

The former Wearside skipper, an FA Cup finalist with Stoke City in 2011, is loving life at the John Smith’s Stadium.

He explained: “I’m just focused on Huddersfield. We’re going really well so that’s the main thing for me.

“My deal is up at the end of the season, but that’s a long way away. I’m just looking at the present.

“Of course it’s nice to be wanted, and I’m not getting any younger! I’m at a good club that’s going places and I’m enjoying it.

“Promotion would be nice - it would be the third time for me.

“It would be lovely to have something to stick on the mantelpiece, but there’s a long way to go.

“We’ve got lots of hard work to do and lots of tough games to come but we’ve got a great group, a great togetherness, and we work so hard for each other.”

On Town’s win at Wigan, their fifth in six games and third in succession away from home, Whitehead added: “It was important.

“The pitch wasn’t great, the match wasn’t great, but we showed we were fitter and created the chances.

“We showed resilience, and when you look back these three points will be important because it’s a tough place to visit.”

Meanwhile, sources have played down any Huddersfield Town interest in Wigan striker Yanic Wildschut.

The Dutchman scored the Latics’ winners against Town at the John Smith’s Stadium in November and also played on Monday.