Leeds United: Jason Pearce insists he has no regrets over Elland Road exit

Jason Pearce insists he has no regrets over his decision to leave Leeds United during the January transfer window, despite having subsequently suffered relegation to League One.

The experienced centre-back, initially signed by Neil Warnock in 2012 after spells with Portsmouth and Bournemouth, spent three years at Elland Road and made over 100 appearances for the club in all competitions. He became the first permanent arrival of controversial manager Malky Mackay's doomed reign at Wigan Athletic.

Lying 23rd and five points adrift of safety in the Championship at the time of Pearce's arrival, the Latics ultimately failed to haul themselves out of danger and a second demotion in just three seasons was confirmed in April after a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves, coupled with Rotherham's victory over Reading, left the former play-off semi-finalists unable to close the gap on the final day.

Despite Wigan returning to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2004, and Leeds having just made a clear statement of ambition with the capture of in-demand striker Chris Wood from Leicester City, Pearce still believes he made the correct choice in pursuing more regular first-team opportunities at the DW Stadium.

"At Leeds I really enjoyed myself. It's a massive, massive club that so many players would dream of playing for," he told The Express. "The move was about me and my own football career. At the time I wasn't really playing, for whatever reason.

"Wigan came in, and even though they were involved in the relegation battle and odds-on to go down, I still felt like it was the right move for my career, getting back out on the pitch. I've no regrets whatsoever about the move.

"Wigan is a really well-run club, with some great people involved in it. I think we've got a bright future ahead of us and that's something that I hope I can be a part of."

With Mackay clearly not succeeding in his flawed attempt to keep Wigan away from the foot of the table, he was sacked by new chairman David Sharpe in April after less than five months at the helm and replaced by long-serving defender Gary Caldwell.

A slightly surprising choice, the latter has made several additions to his squad this summer in preparation to mount a bid for an immediate return to the Championship. Former Bolton striker Craig Davies and Tranmere's Max Power both joined on free transfers this week, joining fellow new recruits Craig Morgan, David Perkins, Donervon Daniels, Richard O'Donnell and Sanmi Odelusi.

Leeds, meanwhile, unveiled ex-Wigan boss Uwe Rosler in May as successor to Neil Redfearn and the fourth permanent manager of owner Massimo Cellino's short but eventful reign.

In addition to New Zealand international Wood, the Whites, who finished 15th last term, have also completed deals for young goalkeeper Charlie Horton and Lee Erwin as well bringing back Sol Bamba from Serie A outfit Palermo following the Ivorian defender's successful loan spell in West Yorkshire.