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Reports today indicate that Wigan are set to fend off the competition of several other Premiership clubs in the race to snap up Spanish forward Raul Tamudo from Espanyol. Several other clubs including Sunderland and Portsmouth were believed to be monitoring his availability, but it now seems as if Wigan are favourites for the Spaniard’s signature. New Latics boss Roberto Martinez is, of course, well acquainted with the Spanish scene and especially with Espanyol, with whom he has done business last season on behalf of Swansea. He took a number of their promising youth players to the Liberty Stadium integrating them into the existing set up in South-Wales. It would therefore come as no surprise that Martinez returns to Spain for his first major signing as a Wigan manager. A bid of around €2 million would probably be enough to secure the 31-year-old’s signature, after contract talks regarding an extension broke down between Tamudo and Espanyol shortly before the end of the season. With a year left on his contract, Espanyol have reluctantly agreed to sell the player on, to prevent him leaving for free next summer. This news alerted several Premiership club’s to his potential availability, and also initially Panathinaikos, who are now believed to have dropped out of the running. Tamudo hit six goals in the 2008/09 season helping the Barcelona-based side out of relegation worries in the second half of the season. However, that was his lowest total since he first broke into the first team way back in 1998/99, hence the reason for the lower contract offer from the club. Tamudo has only ever been under contract at Espanyol in Spain, although he was loaned out as a youngster, and will certainly leave Catalunya with a heavy heart. He was at one point courted quite heavily during a previous contract negotiation, most notably by Rangers, but a move never came to fruition, with Tamudo preferring to remain in Spain. Roberto Martinez is therefore be hoping that he can provide a new home for Tamudo in the North-West, and in the process help him recover his old form. If he does, then Wigan may well have snapped up a bargain. Posted by Walter Townsend on Friday, 19th June 2009 (Average rating 0 from 0 votes. Vote) (0 Comments) |