Last Updated: Thu, 01 May 2008 10:47
Steve Bruce has confirmed he will hold contract talks with Paul Scharner in the summer and is tipping him to stay at the JJB Stadium.
The Wigan boss is well aware that he could lose a number of his key players at the end of the season, regardless of whether his side remain in the Premier League or not.
Ecuador international Antonio Valencia's agent Diego Herrera has confirmed reports that both Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in him, while Honduran star Wilson Palacios is also being linked to United. And the future of Austrian international defender Scharner is in the balance as he approaches the final year of his current contract at the JJB.
Bruce has already opened negotiations with Scharner and his agent and is confident of tying him down to a longer contract when they continue talks at the end of the season.
He told the Evening Post: "I told Paul that I want to keep him and we'll have more talks when we are 100% safe in this division. Paul has a year left on his contract and is quite within his rights to see out that year if he wishes.
"It's a big decision for him, one we have to respect because it's probably one of the last big contracts in his career - although I think he could play on for a long time.
"I'm confident he will agree to stay and we'll see what develops.
"The talks I had with him were to tell him about what I wanted for the club, how I want us to move forward.
"I don't get involved in the money side of things - I give that to the chief executive and John Benson to sort out.
"What I told Paul was that since Christmas we're eighth in the Premier League form league and it shows we can put some good results together.
"I like Paul - he's off the wall and different to say the least - but he trains like a winner every day and wants to be involved in a successful team.
"He's been very instrumental in what we've done since I came to the club."