Hornets reject latest Mariappa bid

Wigan have become the latest club to have a bid rejected for Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, Press Association Sport understands.

The highly-rated centre-back has now been the subject of a handful of offers since Newcastle were first knocked back last Monday, with the Magpies' submission deemed to be well below the npower Championship club's valuation of the 25-year-old.

Newcastle are believed to have come back in for Mariappa on at least two further occasions last week only to be denied each time, while Wigan have become the latest top-flight club to see their offer rejected.

Mariappa has also been linked with Arsenal over the past couple of days and his future appears far from certain ahead of Tuesday's 2300GMT deadline.

However, Hornets boss Sean Dyche hopes to keep the defender at Vicarage Road and will be keen to avoid any last-minute distractions to his plans for Tuesday's league clash at Millwall..

Watford chairman Laurence Bassini last week told the club's official website: "We have our own priorities here at the club. I've talked previously about how I thought Watford was viewed as a soft touch by some. Well not any more. If people want to show serious interest in one of our players then, for me, that means the kind of offer that this club couldn't refuse."