Liverpool Target Charles N'Zogbia Will Be Sold, Says Wigan Chairman

Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan has admitted that the club might have to sell Liverpool target Charles N’Zogbia, claiming that Wigan were not a ‘big enough club’ for the Frenchman. This is completely at odds with what manager Roberto Martinez had said earlier on in the window, where he reiterated that Wigan would not sell their star players before the start of next season.

N'Zogbia to be sold, says Whelan

Speaking to talkSPORT, Whelan confessed that there was a sizable chance of their letting N’Zogbia go as he was in the last year of his contract and deserved a better club. He said-

“We have to sell Charles N’Zogbia because he’s on the last year of his contract.

“We can’t keep him if a big club comes for him and he does deserve a big club because he’s that kind of quality player.”

Whelan talked with surprising humility about his club and said that a small club like Wigan would not be able to hold on to sprightly talents like N’Zogbia for too long, and it was best to let them go and flourish in environments more suited to them.

He said that Wigan would be ill-suited to pay N’Zogbia the fee required and the wages he demanded, so it was best if he moved on and Wigan improved their squad from the funds generated. He said-

“We would love to keep him [N’Zogbia] and pay him what he wants to stay with us but it’s a very difficult situation.

“He’s such a great player and we are such a small club sometimes we don’t go together.”

N’Zogbia has been linked to clubs like Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as being connected with a return back to former club Newcastle.

Martinez and Wigan are looking to push forward from last season where they narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the season. Whelan has publicly come out and given the manager his vocal backing, saying that Martinez has the managerial acumen to be at the helm of clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid in a few years.