Wigan boss Steve Bruce expects to spend more time fending off bids for his own players than he does trying to bring in new ones in January.Just over a year ago Bruce arrived from Birmingham with the club in deep trouble in the Premier League.

He knew he had to make changes, signed four players in January and saw the team rise to the safety of 14th by the end of the season.

Having had the chance to make more changes in the summer Bruce is relatively happy with the squad he has assembled and admits his biggest task will be keeping it together.

This time last year midfielders Antonio Valencia and Wilson Palacios were being linked with moves to big-name clubs.

Now it is strikers Emile Heskey, whose contract expires at the end of the season, and Amr Zaki, on loan until May from Egyptian club Zamalek.

But Bruce, backed by chairman Dave Whelan, is determined to reject any approaches for his players.

"When you have a decent team then the bigger teams are going to come wanting your players, which is normal," said the Latics boss.

"I have the backing of the chairman on all of the things that we do. He has been fully supportive since I walked through the door and has said 'Steve, you manage it the best way you see fit'.

"It is not nice to keep reading your players are going everywhere but no one is going on the cheap.

"We have worked ever so hard to get the players we have got but if something (a bid) comes and blows us out of the water then I've got to do my job on behalf of the club as well.

"I brought in four or five last season but I can't see me being that active this time because I'm very pleased with what I have got.

"At this moment in time there is no-one who can improve us.

"My biggest problem is keeping the vultures at bay. I'll get ready for January, fix the bayonets and see what happens."

Bruce is also satisfied with his team's current position - 11th - especially after the relegation battle he found himself in last campaign.

The Latics, with 19 points, are 10 points better off than they were 12 months ago but Bruce knows things can change quickly.

"We need to set ourselves a target of at least 10 wins, which gives us 30 points and then [it's a question of] can we draw 10 which gives us 40 points which is usually enough.

"But it might need a little bit more. There is no one adrift this year but you still need that accumulation of points and if we get to 40 very quickly I'll be delighted."

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