WIGAN chairman Dave Whelan has warned Pascal Chimbonda will be left to rot in the reserves unless a club is willing to pay é6m for him.

The French full-back, who only joined the Latics last July from Bastia for é500,000, infuriated Whelan by handing in a written transfer request before he had even changed out of his kit following the 4-2 defeat at Arsenal.

And the Latics chief - who is also facing the prospect of an approach from Middlesbrough for manager Paul Jewell - threatened to banish the 27-year-old to Wigan's reserves until the last day of his contract, which has two years to run, if no club comes up with the money.

Whelan said: "I thought the timing of the request was diabolical. There is a time and a place to do such a thing, and after a game like this is not that time.

"But he can go. I have said to him we will not stand in his way because we cannot afford to have players at this club who do not want to play for us and are 100 per cent committed to the cause.

"I am disappointed, the boss (Paul Jewell) is disappointed but I can confirm he is on the transfer list as of now.

"However, we will not be letting him go cheaply. The price is é6m, not a penny less. If anybody wants to pay that, they can buy him; if they don't he can play in the reserves until the day his contract is over.

"I've talked with Paul Jewell and we both agree. That situation will not change, unless he pulls his socks up and says he's a Wigan Athletic player through and through."

Pedigree

It has not been a happy ending to the season for the Wigan manager, who lost the services of Jimmy Bullard after the midfielder quit the Latics to join Fulham for é2.5m and yesterday saw his team over-run by Arsenal.

Sources close to the Scouser, who has proved his pedigree in the Premiership, say he is on his way to take over the helm at the Riverside after the departure of England-bound Steve McClaren.

He had no comment to make on that issue but defended his team after watching Thierry Henry take centre stage with a hat trick. Robert Pires scored the other.

Wigan gave a brave supporting role and at one stage, Jewell's men threatened to be party-poopers on the Gunners' last day at Highbury, taking a 2-1 lead through Paul Scharner (10) and David Thompson (33).

Jewell said: "We were determined to come here and have a real good go - we did. We certainly did not see ourselves as lambs to the slaughter.

"A few things went against us and Arsenal certainly had to work hard for their victory. We had some good chances and we can look back on what's been a fantastic season. Survival was everything and we achieved this a long time ago."

Jewell was less than impressed with referee Uriah Rennie after his side were reduced to 10 men.

Substitute Andreas Johansson was then shown a straight red card for pulling back Freddie Ljungberg - just moments after coming on in the 73rd minute.

Jewell said: "Uriah likes to make history, so something was bound to happen.

"When you look back in years to come, Uriah's name will be in the record books, and he will like that."

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