Bruce and Whelan Heading for Heskey Showdown?

Wigan Athletic boss Steve Bruce and Chairman Dave Whelan appear to be at odds over the future of Latics and England centre-forward Emile Heskey

Whelan says that he wont let Heskey leave the club for free and will sell in the January window if the big man doesn`t sign a new contract, whilst boss Bruce says that Heskey is going nowhere, especially for a miserly £3 million, so are the two set for a fall out?

Lets have a look at what they have said on the matter this last week, starting with Bruce who told the press:

'We've got an England centre-forward and we play around him - where can I find another one like him?'

'Unless it's a mind-blowing offer, we don't want to sell. A £2million or £3million offer, and it's no way.

'We'll just have to see what happens. When I was at Huddersfield, we cashed in on Marcus Stewart for £3million - and the club 'folded'. They haven't recovered since.'

Well its plain that Brucie doesn`t want Heskey to go in January and maybe he is using his former club Huddersfield as a warning to Whelan as to how it could all go wrong, lets see what Whelan has said on the matter:

'Emile is out of contract in summer but at the moment he doesn't want to sign a new one.

'This could cost us two, three or four million if that goes on to next summer so we'll see what January brings.'

So Whelan is looking to cash in rather than wait and let someone get a bargain in June, but what about the big man what does Heskey himself have to say on the matter, he told the press:

'He (Whelan) came to me in July and said he had interest, and if I wanted to leave he would respect that'

'But I haven't said anything to him, and he hasn't said anything to me - so it is the same situation.'

'I'm a Wigan player and whoever doesn't put a shift in for the club they are playing for really needs to leave.

'I'm trying my hardest here, and everyone else is. Kevin Kilbane, Henri Camara and Ryan Taylor are out of contract like I am, and nothing much is said about them - they are brushed to one side.

'We're all in the same boat and want to do well for Wigan while we have contracts.'

That doesn`t sound like someone desperate to leave, Heskey may well be persuaded to sign a new deal with the Latics and that can only be of benefit to the club


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