Wigan have officially joined the race to land Swansea manager Roberto Martinez after asking for permission to speak to the Spaniard.

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Managerless Celtic were refused the right to speak to the 35-year-old on Monday and Wigan, whose manager Steve Bruce is poised to join Sunderland, have been told the same.

"Wigan asked for permission to speak to Roberto," said Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins. "They asked what compensation we would be looking for. We talked about different figures.

"I told them what we valued Roberto at and they told me what they thought and we were miles apart to say the least. I have not given them permission to speak to Roberto."

Martinez arrives back from holiday today and is due to meet with Jenkins to discuss his future. Both he and Peterborough's Darren Ferguson are believed to be two of Wigan's favoured candidates to replace Bruce but their director of football Barry Fry is confident it will be Martinez that moves to Lancashire.

"I'm close to Steve Bruce, he tells me Martinez is going to Wigan and I believe Steve Bruce," he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.