Scharner shuts door on exit

FulhamTop target Paul Scharner has delivered a blow to Fulham by revealing he wants to see out his contract at Wigan.

The highly-rated defender-cum-midfielder, overlooked by Austria coach Josef Hickersberger for Euro 2008, has intimated he wants to run down the remaining 12 months on his contract at the JJB.

The £2million signing from Norwegian side Brann would then be in a position to move on a free, although Wigan have offered the 28-year-old a new two-year contract.

"Moving would be an option but I must emphasise I'm at Wigan and still have a contract until the summer of 2009," he said.

"Afterwards I would be free, so I expect that, in the winter, all hell will break loose."

Craven Cottage boss Roy Hodgson made two bids, one in excess of £3million, for Scharner in January but Latics were not willing to offload one of their most important players to a relegation rival.


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