Agent: Wigan tracking Tekke

Wigan will make another bid for Turkey international striker Fatih Tekke when the transfer window opens, according to the player’s agent.

Latics manager Paul Jewell has long tracked Tekke, missing out in the summer when Trabzonspor turned down a £2m (€2.9m) offer from the Latics.

Jewell was adamantly told at the time the player was not for sale as Trabzonspor officials feared a backlash from supporters if they let their star name leave.

Undaunted, Jewell has continued to watch Tekke, recently flying out to Turkey with chairman and owner Dave Whelan, and now they are set to make a club record offer.

With current £3.1m (€4.5m) record buy Henri Camara due to miss a month of action in January as he is on African Cup of Nations duty with Senegal, Jewell needs another quality forward.

However, Jewell could now face competition from Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp as the south coast club have also made an enquiry.

“Wigan have been watching Fatih for nearly a year now,” said Tekke’s agent, Ceylan Caliskan to Turkish television station, NTV.

“They made a really good offer in August, but it was turned down by Trabzonspor.

“But I didn’t break contact with them and recently they came and watched Fatih play against Besiktas.

“They’re going to make a new offer to Trabzonspor and Fatih in January, but Portsmouth have also made enquiries.”

Wigan’s lofty Premiership status should swing the situation in their favour, especially if they also sign another Trabzonspor player they are rumoured to be monitoring in midfielder Huseyin Cimsir.