Wigan Athletic admins reiterate Kyle Joseph stance

Wigan Athletic are adamant they want to keep hold of prize asset Kyle Joseph - and are not welcoming any more bids for the striker.
Kyle JosephKyle Joseph
Kyle Joseph

The Scotland Under-21 international has found himself a wanted man after bursting onto the scene this season.

After attracting enquiries last summer from Premier League outfits Tottenham and Sheffield United, Championship side Barnsley last week saw an offer rejected out of hand.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And administrator Paul Stanley says he fully expects Joseph to remain a Latics player beyond Monday's 11pm deadline.

"We're not planning on losing Kyle, and we're certainly not encouraging any more bids for him," he told Wigan Today.

"We're getting towards the end of the window now so, unless somebody came in with a stupid offer, we wouldn't even be looking at it. - and we haven't looked at it.

"The only offer we've had is from Barnsley last week - which is in the public domain - and that was rejected verbally last week, and rejected formally by email on Monday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"No-one else has come in, and we don't want anyone else to come in.

"I think the lad himself is level-headed, he's enjoying his football, he's playing regularly in the first team.

"Obviously we also have a duty to the creditors, and if someone came in with a million quid up front we might have a decision to make.

"But at the same time I don't want to do anything to jeopardise the sale of the club, I don't want the club to get relegated, and you want to keep hold of your best players.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"So as far as that goes we're not encouraging any offers and we don't want any more offers."

Barnsley's offer was reported to be £500,000 which, with the player out of contract this summer, they were hoping would be enough.

Stanley, though, says it was not even worthy of consideration.

"It's at that number, but it's not cash up front," he said.

"Half of it is on the never-never, so it's not at that level."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Latics are also hoping to add to their squad before Monday's deadline, with one spot available within the 23-man limit.

However, attempts to bring back Will Grigg from Sunderland - which would have been a PR dream - are very much odds-against, with Shrewsbury leading the race for his loan signature.

Get 20% off our sports subscription package and stay up to date with all the latest Wigan Athletic news with a year’s subscription to WiganToday for less than 9p a day. Use promo code TRANSFER20