Wigan on Wednesday night granted Villa permission to talk to their manager about the possibility of taking the helm at Villa Park. Martinez is thought to be Villa owner Randy Lerner's first choice for the position, which was vacated by Gerard Houllier last week, although Bolton's Owen Coyle has been strongly linked with the role too. Whelan has shown complete faith in Martinez since he appointed the former Wigan player as boss in 2009, standing by the Spaniard despite the club's flirtation with relegation. The Latics chairman says the 37-year-old is free to join the midlands club if he likes, but is confident of hanging on to his man. "My gut feeling is that he will stay with Wigan Athletic for another year or two," Whelan told Sky Sports News. "I have had meetings with him. We get on superbly well. "His decision is final. I can't make that decision for him. "It's entirely in Roberto's hands. If he decides to go then it will be his decision." Whelan signed Martinez as one of the 'three amigos' alongside compatriots Isidro Diaz and Jesus Seba to play for Wigan in 1995. He spent six years with the Lancashire club before eventually trying his hand at management in his native Spain, and then with Swansea, before being appointed Latics boss two summers ago. He led Wigan to 16th place in the Barclays Premier League in his first term in charge and finished in the same position last year, just three points outside of the relegation zone after a nail-biting end to the season. The attractive style of play he employs has led him to become well-respected within the game and Whelan maintains that the Balaguer-born man will go on to become one of the best managers in the world. "I honestly believe he will be one of the top managers in Europe in the next two or three years. One of the top six clubs will come in for him," Whelan added. "He is a brilliant manager and an honest gentleman. I would be upset if we lost him. I rate him so highly. "He has settled in so well. He has built a very young squad and I would be really upset if we lost him."
