Whelan: We have to sell N'Zogbia

Published Jul. 10, 2011 9:15 a.m. ET

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N'Zogbia, 25, has been linked with a move away from the DW Stadium with the likes of Aston Villa Liverpool and Newcastle potential suitors, but Roberto Martinez maintained only on Friday that he, along with reported Arsenal target Hugo Rodallega, would not be sold although Whelan has since claimed otherwise. "We have to sell Charles N'Zogbia because he's on the last year of his contract," he told talkSPORT. "We can't keep him if a big club comes for him and he does deserve a big club because he's that kind of quality player." The France international could walk away from Wigan for nothing next summer and could also receive a much bigger wage if he were to move on, but Martinez, talking at the announcement of a new shirt sponsorship deal, was bullish in his statement regarding the futures of his best players He said: "We've got a lot of good players and it is understandable people are looking at them. "There's been a lot of media speculation - that is part of being in the transfer window - but I am more focused on trying to reach the targets we set. The players are under contract." Whelan seemed to contradict those statements today and admitted keeping hold of former Newcastle man N'Zogbia would be hard. "We would love to keep him and pay him what he wants to stay with us but it's a very difficult situation. "He's such a great player and we are such a small club sometimes we don't go together," Whelan added.