Bid rejected already by Wigan Athletic administrator

Gerald Krasner, a joint administrator from Begbies Traynor, had already confirmed a couple of the club’s Academy starlets have been targeted by top Premier League clubs.

And now he says he’s already had one concrete offer – not necessarily for the same players – which received short shrift.

“We’ve had one enquiry turned down, and there’s a lot of phone calls going on,” he told the Wigan Post.

“I won’t confirm if it’s one of those two players at this stage.”

Earlier in the week, Krasner had confirmed player sales was the best and quickest source of income in the short term.

“We may have to sell one player, but we are not in the part of the season where we’re allowed to sell anyone yet,” he said.

“We are currently looking at the players’ valuations, because that’s what administrators do in this situation.

“I have already been approached by one football club in respect of two of the younger players.

“I’m not prepared to name them or the football club, and all options remain on the table at this stage.

“We will do whatever it takes to make sure that Wigan Athletic – in some shape or form – is ready for next season.”

While it’s not clear who the duo are, Latics have a trio of starlets – Joe Gelhardt, Jensen Weir and Alfie Devine – currently starring for England at junior level.

Gelhardt and Weir are regulars in the Three Lions’ Under-18s, with the former skippering the side earlier this season.

Devine, two years younger, was recently voted player of the tournament during a major Under-16 competition including starlets from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

All three were part of the Latics Under-18 side that reached the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup for the first time this year, only to narrowly lose 2-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It’s a youth system that has quickly become the envy of bigger clubs up and down the country, under the watchful eye of Academy chief Gregor Rioch, and originally put in place by chief executive Jonathan Jackson.

Left-back Antonee Robinson is also sure to be in demand, having seen a January move to Italian giants AC Milan collapse at the 11th hour due to a technicality with the medical.

The 22-year-old has since been given the all-clear to resume his career, and has already been linked with a number of other clubs, including Premier League outfit West Ham and and Championship promotion-chasers West Brom.