LONDON (AFP)
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is ready to double Victor Moses' wages
in a last-ditch bid to persuade the Nigeria winger to snub an
approach from Chelsea.
Whelan revealed this week that he had rejected a £4 million
($6.2 million) bid for Moses from the European champions and now
he has offered to give the 21-year-old a substantial salary
increase.
Moses, who has won three senior caps for Nigeria after
representing England at youth level, is out of contract at the
end of next season and Whelan is aware Chelsea are keen to snap
up the former Crystal Palace player.
But Whelan won't sell on the cheap and he believes it would be
better for both Moses and the Latics if he stays at the DW
Stadium for at least another year.
"We've made him a very good offer - involving a doubling of his
wages - over the next three years," Whelan told the Evening Post.
"It's down to whether the lad himself listens to sense, or
whether he listens to his agent.
"The player has to realise that it's his future we're talking
about not his agent's.
"Agents want cash out of players, that's all, whereas we want the
lad to realise his potential and reach the highest level he can.
"If we have to sell him, we will do so reluctantly - but not for
the money that is currently on the table."
Whelan claims Moses owes his rapid development since his 2010
move to the astute influence of manager Roberto Martinez and he
doesn't believe the Kaduna-born star is ready for a top club like
Chelsea yet.
"I personally have told Victor he requires another 12 months
minimum under Roberto's guidance before he thinks about moving to
a top club," Whelan added.
"He has come on so much in the last two years - and that is
purely down to Roberto's help.
"I told him when he signed for Wigan that we'd let him go when
the time was right and a big club came in for him.
"In my opinion he's not quite ready for that yet, but another
year working with Roberto and he might be."
