Whelan fires Cattermole warning

27 July 2009 10:11
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has warned Sunderland not to waste their time making another bid for midfielder Lee Cattermole. New Black Cats boss Steve Bruce is keen to be reunited with Cattermole after signing the 21-year-old for Wigan from Middlesbrough last summer. An initial offer has been rejected by the Latics, but reports claim Sunderland are willing to pay up to £10million for Cattermole. Bruce has admitted that he is still chasing the combative midfielder despite splashing out £5million to bring in Marseille captain Lorik Cana. But Whelan has told the club's former manager to give up his pursuit of Cattermole as he will be part of current Latics boss Roberto Martinez's squad this season. Finished "Sunderland are wasting their time - and I've told them that," Whelan told the Wigan Evening Post. "I said, 'Don't even bother bidding for him again'. Lee will be at Wigan this season. "When I heard about the first bid from Sunderland, I said straight away to John Benson, 'He isn't going anywhere. He's staying here'. "And Roberto agrees with me, so that's it. Finished." Whelan added: "Lee wants to stay. He's happy here, he knows he's making progress here, and he wants to play under Roberto. It's out of the way as far as he's concerned."

Source: SKY_Sports