Source: Daily_Mail
Martinez twist to Bruce deal as Wigan boss joins Sunderland
Steve Bruce is leaving Wigan for Sunderland
Steve Bruce left Wigan Athletic for Sunderland on Monday night and Celtic made a formal approach for Swansea boss Roberto Martinez as football's traditional managerial merry-go-round started spinning.
Wigan remain favourites to land Martinez but Celtic's interest has grabbed the much-lauded Spaniard's attention.
Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins rejected an approach from Celtic to speak to his manager, who is due to return from holiday in Spain on Wednesday.
But Jenkins, who would want in the region of £700,000 compensation, is facing the inevitable.
He said: 'It's basically up to Roberto. There's certainly no possibility of us forcing any issue. He has to consider his future and where his commitment lies.
'I had a call from Celtic's chief executive making me aware they'd like to talk to Roberto. Like I've always done, I refused that until I've spoken to Roberto myself and talked things through.
'I'll probably speak to him between now and Wednesday, but later in the week he'll be back home to run through his thoughts with me. Naturally, I suppose that interest would require anybody to consider their position.'
Although Martinez is high on their list of targets, Wigan will weigh up other options, which include former boss Paul Jewell and Peterborough's Darren Ferguson.
The latter has been denied a chance to speak to Reading after they refused to meet demands for £1million in compensation.
At least Wigan will be armed with £3m from Bruce's departure.
Openly a Newcastle fan, Bruce deep down might have been dreading the call from Sunderland.
But it is a reflection of Newcastle's spectacular fall into the Championship, and Sunderland's standing as the region's only Premier League side, that he will be unveiled shortly waving a red-and-white shirt for the cameras and will then spend the coming weeks trying to persuade Stadium of Light fans to forget his Geordie links.
