Wigan Athletic manager Malky Mackay has confirmed that defender Juan Carlos Garcia has contracted leukaemia.

Last week, the Championship club announced via their official website that the Honduras international was hospitalised with a blood disorder.

Today, Mackay has revealed that Garcia, who returned to England following a loan spell with CD Tenerife, has been diagnosed with leukaemia.

"It's something that is obviously a real blow for Juan Carlos's family and everybody connected with the football club," Wigan Today quotes Mackay as saying. "We're going to make sure that he gets the best care possible.

"I went in to see Juan Carlos and he was incredibly upbeat and his spirits were strong. He's going to fight this and make sure he gets through this for the sake of his wife and kids. Everybody at the club is wishing him all the best as I'm sure that all our fans are."

The 26-year-old signed for Wigan back in 2013 from Olimpia.