Chimbonda still wants out

Last Updated : 26-Jul-2006 by
Pascal Chimbonda
The 28 year old managed to force his way into the French World Cup squad on the back of his performances in a Wigan Athletic shirt.

The platform offered by the club clearly put the player in the right windows. However anyone with Willy McKay as an agent is always seeking a move elsewhere, and Chimbonda is no different.

Just hours after the close of the season at Highbury back in May, and the gloved right back was handing in his notice.

Club chairman Dave Whelan immediately smacked a £6 million price tag on Chimbonda's head. No-one has yet to match the fee and Whelan is happy to let him rot in the reserve squad for the final two years of his contract.

With all talk of a move deteriorating, agent Willy McKay has perked up again after his recent spell on the moral high ground. He wavered his fee in the deal which saw Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton sign a new contract at Eastlands.

"I spoke to Pascal last night and he still wants to move on to a bigger club," McKay told skysports.com.

"I have spoken to Paul Jewell and he told me he is keen to keep Pascal and is ready to offer him a lucrative new contract to try and keep him.

"I have informed Pascal of Wigan's contract offer, but he feels at this stage of his career it is not about new improved contracts. He just wants to play for a big club and money is not his objective in looking to move.

"He knows that if he stays with Wigan he could earn more money than he could get at Tottenham, but it is just that he wants to realise his ambitions of playing for a top club.

"It is purely a footballing matter that he wants to leave. He hopes Wigan keep their word, after telling him last January when he signed a new deal, that they would not stand in his way if a big club came in for him.

"Pascal likes Paul Jewell and loves the Wigan supporters, but he just wants to fulfil his ambitions and he hopes that Wigan fans can understand this. Pascal arrives back in Wigan this Sunday and we are planning to hold talks with Paul Jewell first thing on Monday to try and resolve the matter.

"We believe £3.5 million is fair price for Pascal after Wigan only paid £400,000 for him last year."

Tottenham are not short of money after splashing out more than £15 million this summer, but with no sign of a £6 million bid forthcoming, it is more than likely that Pascal will be a facing a season in the Wigan Athletic reserve team.