WBA eye Safri as Latics up JK ante

[Olzy]

Wigan will increase their bid for Jason Koumas to £5million - and West Brom have targeted Norwich's Youssef Safri as his possible replacement.

Latics boss Chris Hutchings revealed on Monday that his interest in the classy Wales playmaker was "still alive", despite having a £4million offer rejected by the Baggies.

The Daily Express claims Latics will bid £5million for Koumas, and if Albion accept the fee there will be a host of Premier League rivals eager to also stump up the cash, with Birmingham, Fulham, Blackburn, Everton, Derby, Reading and Aston Villa all having been linked with the 27-year-old this summer.

Koumas is keen to ply his trade in the top flight, although he admits he is no rush to leave The Hawthorns.

But Baggies boss Tony Mowbray only wants players who are 'totally committed' to playing for the club, and is planning for life without Koumas by lining up a move for Canaries star Safri.

Norwich boss Peter Grant would be loathe to lose Safri's services after selling Rob Earnshaw to Derby - but a bid of around £1.5million for the 30-year-old midfielder may be too good to turn down after they signed him for £500,000 from Coventry in 2004.

[Huckerbys right foot]

Safri is a brilliant player a huge lost if we lose him

he will be going to Africa this season for Nations Cup and last time he did that he wasn't the same after being very tired etc..

still hopefully we keep him but i think he will leave

we signed a decent midfielder today - Julian Brellier