Morsy: '˜Nothing been resolved yet'

The touch-tackling midfielder is back at Wigan after being recalled midway through his season-long loan at Championship rivals Barnsley, and was man of the match on his second ‘debut’ last weekend against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.

The Tykes have triggered a clause that allows them to buy the player for a set fee agreed last summer but, until personal terms are agreed, he remains in the Latics fold.

And ahead of the massive six-pointer at fourth-bottom Burton - who hold a six-point advantage over second-bottom Latics - Joyce couldn’t be happier with the player’s conduct.

“Credit to Sam, he’s trained well again this week,” acknowledged Joyce.

“There’s nothing been resolved yet, and all we can do is treat him like a Wigan Athletic player while he’s here.

“He’s done that as well, and we’ll wait and see how the situation develops.

“There were obviously issues and things that happened at the club at the start of the season, before I got here.

“When he went out of the door, he thought that was it really - that his future at Wigan was gone.

“He thought he was a Barnsley player, and he wouldn’t be coming back.

“It’s a difficult situation to assess - both for Sam and for me.

“But since he’s come back it’s been a credit to him, the way he’s handled it.”