Wigan demand £18 million from Real Madrid for Antonio Valencia

29 January 2009 10:21
According to the Mirror,[LNB]Real have tabled a £12m offer for the Eduador international, but Wigan are in a position of strength and will not be selling for anything less than what they feel the player is worth. [LNB]Manager Steve Bruce has already seen Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey leave the JJB Stadium this month, and is loathe to lose any more key players. [LNB]Palacios and Heskey have swelled the Wigan coffers to the tune of £17.5m, but Valencia is one of the club's most valuable assets, and as such Bruce does not want him to leave. [LNB]An added complication to any potential deal with Real is that Wigan will owe Valencia's former club, Villarreal, a sizeable slice of any profit made, having originally signed him for £5m. [LNB]Although settled in the north west, Valencia is reportedly interested in playing for Real, with the possibility of Champions League football a key selling point. [LNB]The Ecuadorian missed Wigan's 1-1 draw against Liverpool last night with a hamstring problem, although he may end up playing against Rafael Benitez's side for Real in the Champions League on Feb 25 if a deal can be struck. [LNB]

Source: Telegraph