Harewood and Brown may have the Blues....

The title may sound more like a new sponsor for the JJB billboards but it is reported that Chris Hutchings is very close to signing Marlon Harewood from West Ham United and Michael Gnasher Brown from Fulham.

The Guardian and Daily Mail have reported that Mr Brown was meeting with the powers that be at the JJB to tie up the deal and make his move North from the London Club. Brown has been a target of the Latics for some time now, who was reported to be tracking him while he was at Tottenham but missed out after he chose Fulham(of all clubs). Silly boy!!.

The Wigan manager has also stepped up his chase for another striker, with a £3.2million offer for Marlon Harewood being rumoured. Like Brown, he has been long admired by the Latics, and the Guardian are claiming Wigan are winning the race to sign the West Ham

strikeg, who has also been linked with Birmingham, Aston Villa and Manchester City to name a few.

Will he stay or will he go now.....

Sunderland have today upped their efforts to land our lovable left back Leighton Baines. It seems that Bainsey is hot property and Sunderland have today raised the stakes in landing the U21 star with a reported £5,000 000 bid.

With two previous bids tabled by Mr Keane knocked back by Wigan, the coffers could well be quaffed for Mr Hutchings if the Latics decide the new bid is too much too resist.

Leighton is a big favourite at Wigan and holds the record for most first team appearances in the Premiership. He will be sadly be missed if the Chairman and club decide to sell.

Skoko stays....

Josip Skoko today ended any speculation of leaving the JJB after putting pen to paper and signing a new 1 year deal at the club.

The 31yr old's future was in doubt when he was reported to be stalling on signing the new deal offered by new manager Chris Hutchings. Although the deal is subject to a work permit that has been applied for but this is not thought to be a problem.

No further news/speculation is currently being banded about across the VPN's of the world wide web although no doubt further links to players will appear in the next 24 hours.

The race for Jase heats up...

The race to sign West Brom midfielder Jason Koumas hots up for Chris Hutchings and Wigan Athletic. It is reported that the Latics are set to increase their offer to get their man sooner rather than later.

West Brom missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season, making it ever more likely that Koumas would leave.

Latics boss Chris Hutchings is still confident of signing Koumas and says the situation is on-going.
"We made a substantial bid for Jason Koumas which was rejected - but our efforts are still alive," Hutchings told the Wigan Evening Post.

Latest Tenuous Links

Svetoslav Todorov (after he rejected Portsmouth's new contract offer because he was not happy with the terms of the one-year extension with a further year depending on appearances).

Andy Todd (after being released by Blackburn Rovers with a year still left to run on his contract).