Bruce urges transfer patience
Published Date:
15 May 2008
Steve Bruce has urged Latics fans to be patient as they wait for news on summer signings.
The club has been linked with a whole host of players after securing a fourth season of Premier League football.
But the Latics boss has revealed most of his close-season shopping is still at the planning stage.
However, he is close to extending Honduran left-back Maynor Figueroa's loan stay at the JJB Stadium from Deportivo Olimipa for the whole of next season.
And Bruce has started working on his retained list by offering goalkeeper Mike Pollitt a new 12-month contract,while Josip Skoko and Salomon Olembe are being released.
The Wigan boss is also set for talks with loan players Marcus Bent and Erik Hagen in the next few days.
Bruce told the Evening Post: "Josip and Salomon are out of contract this summer and they will be going.
"If there is nothing out there for Josip, he can come back to train with us and see what happens.
"But Salomon is going to play in Turkey, with Julius Aghahowa probably going with him too, which has been known for a while.
"We have offered Pollitt another year and hopefully that will be sorted out in the next week or so.
"As for the players we've had on loan, I'm having discussions with Marcus and Erik soon.
"We're close to completing a deal for Maynor to stay with us for next season.
"It will be a case of using the loan system again.
"He has impressed in the last few months, and I think he impressed everyone against Manchester United and I'm sure he'll continuing developing with us."
Skoko and Olembe aren't being kept on after failing to make a mark this season, but Pollitt is needed as back-up to Chris Kirkland.
Ex-Australia international Skoko joined Latics ahead of their debut campaign in the Premier League, and has made 52 appearances.
Olembe, signed last September after being ditched by Marseille, managed only three starts and six substitute appearances.
Bruce revealed last month a deal was nearing completion for him and Aghahowa to join Kayserispor this summer – Olembe on a free transfer and Aghahowa for a small fee.
Latics have been linked this week with a number of would-be targets.
Out-of-contract Le Mans midfielder Hassan Yebda and Werder Bremen's Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic are among them, while Olivier Kapo is the latest Birmingham player to be linked.
But with relations between Bruce and former employers Birmingham not exactly at their best, that route could be closed this summer.
The full article contains 436 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.
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Last Updated:
15 May 2008 12:18 PM
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Source:
Wigan Evening Post
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Location:
Wigan