Wigan Athletic Football Club News

• Nickname:Latics
• Founded:1932
• Manager:Roberto Martinez

• Ground:JJB Stadium
• Capacity:25,000

Bruce hopeful over Heskey

17 Oct 2008 - 13:13:41

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Steve Bruce is still hopeful that Emile Heskey will sign a new contract and remain at Wigan Athletic.

Liverpool are the latest club to be linked with a move for the England striker, who saw his stock rise further on the back of impressive World Cup qualifying displays against Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Heskey, who spent four years at Liverpool before joining Birmingham City and then the Latics in summer 2006, is out of contract at the end of the current season.

But Bruce has not given up hope of persuading the 30-year-old hitman to extend his stay at the JJB Stadium.

"We all know that he is out of contract at the end of the season, but he doesn't owe this club a penny because he's justified why he's been here," he said.

"He doesn't owe the club anything, but we still hope and I'm not giving up hope, that we can persuade him.

"He's well liked and respected here. He plays every week to his strengths and I've not given up hope because you hear all these reports that he's going to clear off, but we'll try our best to try and keep him if we can."