Wigan Athletic 'have to sell' Charles N'Zogbia

Latics chairman contradicts what manager Roberto Martinez said previously, and says the Liverpool and Aston Villa target deserves to move to a bigger club ahead of the new season

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has said that his club must sell midfielder Charles N’Zogbia, despite what manager Roberto Martinez has said previously.

Martinez said that Wigan would not sell their star players before the start of the Premier League season, but now Whelan has stated a completely different view.

Whelan told talkSPORT: "We have to sell Charles N'Zogbia because he's on the last year of his contract.

"We can't keep him if a big club comes for him and he does deserve a big club because he's that kind of quality player."

This is the complete reverse of what manager Roberto Martinez said on Friday at the announcement of a new shirt sponsorship deal, but Whelan seems adamant that it will be incredibly difficult to keep hold of French international N’Zogbia and reported Arsenal target Hugo Rodallega.

Whelan said: "We would love to keep him [N’Zogbia] and pay him what he wants to stay with us but it's a very difficult situation.

"He's such a great player and we are such a small club sometimes we don't go together.”

N’Zogbia has been linked with a move to Liverpool or Aston Villa, as well as a possible return to his former club Newcastle United.