Bruce laughs off Valencia talk

Wigan not prepared to let winger leave

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 8th April 2008

Antonio Valencia

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Steve Bruce has warned off any potential suitors of his Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia.

The Wigan boss was responding to claims that Manchester City are preparing a £5million summer bid to take the playmaker to Eastlands.

Valencia has been in fine form of late, and has played a major role in the Latics' move away from relegation trouble.

However, having only signed a permanent deal with Wigan in January, and with Bruce keen to hang on to one of his prize assets, it appears unlikely that the South American will be on the move again any time soon.

Premium rate

"I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in Antonio, but I speak for the chairman as well as myself when I say the last thing we want to be doing is selling our better players," Bruce told the Wigan Evening Post.

"Let me tell you, it would take a lot more than £5m for us to be interested, we paid almost that amount to bring him here.

"The one thing about being the Wigan Athletic manager is that if the team is performing well, you are going to have to fend off interest in your good players.

"Chris Kirkland, Valencia, Wilson Palacios for example, are all playing well and other clubs will look at them.

"The good thing here, the beauty of it, is that we don't need the money, the chairman doesn't need any more money.

"If anyone wants any of my players they are going to have to pay a premium rate. When I was told about this supposed £5m interest in Valencia, I laughed ... and I mean laughed."

Dribbler

Bruce believes that Valencia's exciting style of play makes him part of a dying breed in today's game, and as such is understandably reluctant to allow the winger to leave the JJB Stadium.

"Valencia has got that thing which not many players have anymore, the ability to dribble," he said.

"We don't produce players who want to dribble, we seem to produce the archetypal steady English player.

"If a player does want to take his man on and run with the ball, people will want to pay to go and see him.

"I've not had any enquiries for our players, I don't want any either.

Scouting

"That said, clubs won't be enquiring yet, although they will be looking to see what is out there ready for the summer.

"We are actively looking. We had Chris Casper, the former Bury manager who is doing some scouting for us at the moment, watching a couple of games in France at the weekend.

"I know every player inside out in the Premier League and would not be doing my job if I didn't know the Championship either.

"But getting a good young player out of clubs here is difficult, so we have to look at the foreign market.

"That is a realistic place to find players, you've got the attraction of the Premier League to offer them."