More offers already turned down than will be accepted - Wigan Athletic admins

Wigan Athletic’s administrators have promised to hold out for as much money as possible for the club’s crown jewels.
Alfie DevineAlfie Devine
Alfie Devine

Gerald Krasner, of Begbies Traynor, has revealed several Premier League offers for players – believed to include Young England stars Joe Gelhardt, Alfie Devine and Jensen Weir – have already been given short shrift.

But as the clock continues to tick – and a buyer for the club still to be found – he admits deals will eventually have to be done to pay the bills.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have agents working on deals day and night,” Krasner told the Wigan Observer.

“And I can say I’ve turned down more deals than it looks like we’re going to accept – because the offers were too low.

“But whatever price I sell a player at, I can guarantee somebody will always say we could have got more.

“Well why didn’t they get more and come to me with it?

“What people don’t understand is if I don’t get that money in by this week, or next week, there won’t be a football club.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If we don’t sort out this short-term problem there is no long-term.

“You’re seven divisions down out of the Football League. That is what everybody is forgetting.

“Anybody can criticise me afterwards. Whether it’s good or bad – and I’ve done this before – I tell it like it is.

“And if the money doesn’t come in, and we have to shut the football club, I’m not going to run away without explaining why.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Weir has been mulling over a £500,000 move to Brighton for the past week.

The 18-year-old’s father David – the former Everton and Scotland defender – works for the south-coast club in the player development department, but is still based up here.

Gelhardt is reported to be coveted by a host of clubs including Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham, Leicester, Leeds, Sheffield United and Celtic – although no acceptable bid has yet been tabled.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Devine - whose father, Sean, used to play rugby league for St Helens - is understood to be close to joining Tottenham for around £500,000.