WREXHAM'S Trinidad international Carlos Edwards is again at the centre of transfer speculation as Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell spreads his net in the search for players to strengthen his club's bid to reach the Premiership.
Jewell, who last week sold striker Geoff Horsfield to First Division rivals West Brom for £1m, has been repeatedly rebuffed in his attempts to attract high-profile replacements, but revealed he has a number of other targets in mind.
The Wigan boss has been linked with Manchester City's unsettled striker Darren Huck-erby, Southampton's Brett Ormerod and Middlesbrough's England U19 winger Stewart Downing, but approaches to all three Premiership clubs have come to nothing.
"As people probably know, we've had a £750,000 bid for Stewart Downing turned down last week," said Jewell. "We've also shown an interest in Brett Ormerod, but he is now back in Southampton's first team.
"We are also interested in Darren Huckerby but although we've matched the bids made by West Brom and Norwich City it appears that the player is not interested in coming here.
"There are five or six other players we've enquired about but I don't think it's right to say any more on those players at the present time."
Sources close to the First Division club point out that in addition to seeking a replacement for Horsfield, Jewell is also hunting for a right-sided player, with an eye for goal.
Fitting the bill is Racecourse wing-back Edwards, who has scored three times so far in the league this season, and is known to have been watched by Wigan on several previous occasions.
It's also been suggested that former Wrexham striker Neil Roberts could return to his hometown club as part of any deal. The 25-year-old Wales international moved to the JJB Stadium for £400,000 just over three years ago.
While Racecourse manager Denis Smith would be loath to lose the services of the versatile and skilful Edwards, who has been one of his most consistent performers this season, he knows every player has his price.
And while the Second Division outfit would obviously have to seriously consider a realistic offer from Wigan, chairman Mark Guterman has previously gone on record as saying the club is under no pressure to sell anyone at below market value simply in order to boost finances at the Racecourse.
Declining to fuel the current speculation last night, Guterman said there had been no contact between the two clubs and he added: "I know nothing about this."
