Martinez unhappy with uncertainty

18 August 2012 09:39

Roberto Martinez is willing to select Victor Moses in his Wigan side to face Chelsea on Sunday, but is braced for the phone to ring with news that the striker is leaving for the London club.

The 21-year-old forward has courted interest from the Champions League winners this summer, with Wigan chairman Dave Whelan accusing them of "messing about" in their pursuit of him. He wants them to stump up a fee of £9million but, as that valuation has yet to be met, Moses remains available for Martinez to pick.

As a result, he has called for the transfer window to be changed so that it is only open during the off-season, saying: "I don't like it, I have expressed many times that I don't agree with the transfer window going on while there are official games."

He added: "I have always said that. I do feel there is a need for a transfer window, it is beneficial, but I don't think it helps when it is open when you are playing official games.

"It happens everywhere, it gives you uncertainty and I don't think that helps the game. The players are footballers but they are human beings."

Chelsea counterpart Roberto Di Matteo was coy when asked about Moses on Friday yesterday, but if he remains interested, he is likely to get a front-row view of the former Crystal Palace man on Sunday.

Martinez has no qualms with playing Moses either, despite the Spaniard knowing that a display akin to the ones he produced in the second half of last season could be the arm-twister Chelsea need to meet Whelan's demands.

"Victor is in the squad and available," he said. "For Victor it's been an exciting summer. I spoke with him and told him he should be very proud, as a footballer at 21, to get the interest he has had. It's something to be happy and extremely proud about and is a football compliment.

"But, if you don't meet a valuation, it becomes paper talk and speculation. He is a young man and he knows what he did from December to the end of the season was a great level of performance."

Moses will be joined in the Wigan team by up to four new faces, with Ivory Coast striker Arouna Kone, Fraser Fyvie (Aberdeen), Rio Miyaichi (Arsenal), Ivan Ramis (Real Mallorca) all joining up.

Source: PA