SPARTAK Moscow midfielder Maksym Kalynychenko has emerged as a é6m target for Wigan Athletic.

The Latics have confirmed that they have made a club- record offer for the Ukraine international, a former Spartak team-mate of Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic.

United scouts looked at Kalynychenko when they targeted Vidic, who arrived at Old Trafford just over 12 months ago.

Kalynychenko is understood to be valued at around é10m, but Paul Jewell is keen to bolster his relegation-threatened squad.

Wigan scouts have been scouring the eastern European market in recent months for top quality new talent, and there has been plenty of interest in Kalynychenko. Manager Jewell is understood to have checked out the Ukrainian during last summer's World Cup.

Wigan's own scouts, including football director Bill Green, watched Kalynychenko during Spartak's group games in the Champions League.

A Latics' spokesman said the club were "hopeful" of bringing in at least two new players later this week ahead of Sunday's important Premiership clash with Everton.

Another possible foreign target for Wigan is young Nigerian striker Chinedu Ogbuke.

He was watched by Chelsea, but has spent the past week on trial at Wigan from Norwegian club Lyn Oslo.

Ogbuke is a striker with plenty of pace - and the Latics are said to have been impressed by the Nigerian - but a transfer could cost é3m.

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Wigan have also been giving trials to a midfield player from Chile and will decide by the end of this week whether to pursue the matter.

Meanwhile, Latics' hopes of bringing former striker Nathan Ellington back to the JJB from West Brom appear to be fading.

Latics initially offered é3m and Scotland international Gary Teale, who has since joined Derby.

But the Albion board want an extra million despite paying é3m for Ellington when they bought him from Wigan in the summer of 2005.

Jewell, who has been in daily contact with Ellington's adviser Tony Finnigan, says he will not be held to ransom and hinted he may have to look elsewhere.

Ellington has handed in a written transfer request and made no secret of his desire to rejoin Wigan.

But Jewell cannot afford to be sympathetic - the Wigan boss needs instant resources as he attempts to pull his side away from the Premiership relegation battle.

Wigan have also checked out the availability of West Ham striker Bobby Zamora and despite denials from the club they continue to be linked with veteran Blackburn defender Andy Todd, a player Jewell has tried to sign in the past.

Jewell has also looked at Colchester defender Greg Halford, but could lose out to Premiership rivals Sheffield United, who also snatched Leeds' defender Matthew Kilgallon from under the nose of the Wigan boss.

But Jewell, who believes six more wins could guarantee Wigan's Premiership survival, will keep on scrapping to find players to bolster his squad.

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