Double delight for Latics

OUMARE Tounkara and Jean-Yves Mvoto will stay with Athletic for the rest of the season.

There had been fears that one or both of the on-loan pair from Sunderland may be recalled by manager Steve Bruce following a series of highly impressive showings.

But Athletic boss Paul Dickov said that there is no sign of the recall clause in the season-long agreement for the French duo being invoked by the Premier League outfit.

Dickov also hopes to keep loaned teenage pair, Arsenal’s Cedric Evina and Leeds United man Aidan White, beyond the expiration of their short-term agreements on Monday evening.

The prospects of Preston centre-back Neal Trotman staying on beyond that date are up in the air, while the short-term contracted pair of Jason Jarrett and Dean Kelly see their deals run out at the end of next month.

And Dickov also said Athletic have, as yet, received no offers for any of the shining lights of a so-far promising season.

“They (Tounkara and Mvoto) are here until May 7, as far as I am aware,” said Dickov.

“We are speaking to (Evina and White’s) clubs at the moment and are hopeful we can get the loans extended.

“I had a good conversation with (Leeds manager) Simon Grayson and we want to keep all our best players. They come into that category.

“Dean Kelly and Jason Jarrett are under contract until the end of January so we need to sit down with them and the chairman as well to find out what we can and can’t do.

“We haven’t had any enquiries for any of our players and I would like to keep it that way. We have got some players who I think can play at a higher level and there is going to be interest as they are making people sit up and take notice.

“As long as my phone doesn’t go and the chairman isn’t calling, I will be happy.”

Trotman’s immediate future may hang on whether he wants to head back to Preston to try to force his way into a team currently bottom of the Championship.

“His loan is up on Monday and with Preston changing manager we don’t know if that will affect if he stays, or if he wants to stay,” said Dickov of a player, who has yet to see a minute of action since returning to Athletic.

The injury prognosis on Lewis Alessandra is positive. The winger suffered an ankle injury in training, but he will only be out for three weeks — far sooner than was originally feared.