Wigan tell Bruce: Hands off Lee Cattermole

Jun 20 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

STEVE Bruce faces further frustration in his attempts to bring yet more faces with him from Wigan Athletic after his former chairman declared Lee Cattermole not for sale.

Days after replacing Bruce as Latics manager, Roberto Martinez has made a midfielder his first signing.

But Latics chairman Dave Whelan is adamant that the arrival of Jordi Gomez from Espanyol will not be countered by Cattermole joining his old boss. With long-time Black Cats target Paul Scharner seemingly on the verge of signing for Europa League qualifiers Fulham for £6m, Cattermole’s name might also have to be scrubbed off Bruce’s shopping list.

The Corbridge-born manager has already successfully lured assistant Eric Black, coach Keith Bertschin, goalkeeping coach Nigel Spink and head of media Andy Maxey to Wearside. Former Middlesbrough product Cattermole’s stock has risen this week with two assured performances for England at the European Under-21 Championships.

The Teessider, more noted for his tough tackling than his goals, even opened the scoring in the narrow win over Finland.

His displays only furthered speculation that he could be the next North Easterner to swap the rugby league town for the Stadium of Light.

Whelan, though, is adamant that will not be the case. “Lee is not going anywhere. You just can not replace these kind of players,” he said.

Former Barcelona youth teamer Gomez has quickly followed Martinez from the Liberty Stadium, where he

spent last season on loan at Swansea.

But the £1.7m signing is a playmaker, not a like-for-like replacement for the more combative Cattermole.