Boss Steve Bruce understands that he is facing an uphill battle to hold onto his stars. He told the Wigan Observer: "We are always running that danger. People look at us and say 'look at that Wigan team, they're in the top ten again, they have some good players'.
"We are always going to be up against that and we all realise that - me, the chairman and the supporters.
"That's the way it is - that's the law of the jungle. The bigger clubs nick from the smaller ones."
In particular, Antonio Valencia was said to be the subject of an £18 million bid from Real Madrid during January but the bid was rubuffed as the club hold out for £20 million.
Instead, Madrid signed Faubert from West Ham, but both Real and Manchester United are expected to enter a bidding war for the midfielder come the summer.
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