London – Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is ready to double Victor Moses' wages in a last-ditch bid to persuade the Nigeria winger to snub an approach from Chelsea.
Whelan revealed this week that he had rejected a £4 million bid for Moses from the European champions and now he has offered to give the 21-year-old a substantial salary increase.
Moses, who has won three senior caps for Nigeria after representing England at youth level, is out of contract at the end of next season and Whelan is aware Chelsea are keen to snap up the former Crystal Palace player.
But Whelan won't sell on the cheap and he believes it would be better for both Moses and the Latics if he stays at the DW Stadium for at least another year.
“We've made him a very good offer – involving a doubling of his wages – over the next three years,” Whelan told the Evening Post.
“It's down to whether the lad himself listens to sense, or whether he listens to his agent.
“The player has to realise that it's his future we're talking about not his agent's.
“Agents want cash out of players, that's all, whereas we want the lad to realise his potential and reach the highest level he can.
“If we have to sell him, we will do so reluctantly - but not for the money that is currently on the table.”
Whelan claims Moses owes his rapid development since his 2010 move to the astute influence of manager Roberto Martinez and he doesn't believe the Kaduna-born star is ready for a top club like Chelsea yet.
“I personally have told Victor he requires another 12 months minimum under Roberto's guidance before he thinks about moving to a top club,” Whelan added.
“He has come on so much in the last two years – and that is purely down to Roberto's help.
“I told him when he signed for Wigan that we'd let him go when the time was right and a big club came in for him.
“In my opinion he's not quite ready for that yet, but another year working with Roberto and he might be.” – Sapa-AFP