Wigan look to Bruce

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The Latics are looking for a successor to Chris Hutchings, and after failing to entice Paul Jewell back to the club he left in May have now stepped up their interest in Bruce, who managed the club from April to May 2001.

Whelan confirmed he is now waiting for a response from Birmingham and told BBC Radio Five Live: "Steve Bruce has worked with me before, he was with me at Wigan five or six years ago for two months and did a super job then."

Bruce has been at St Andrews since December 2001 and has twice led the Blues to promotion to the Premier League - but he has yet to be offered an extension to his contract which expires in 2009 as uncertainty continues to surround the proposed takeover of Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung.

Whelan continued: "I know there is a bit of a situation at Birmingham where the Chinese people are supposed to be taking over, they will not give Steve Bruce an answer (and) they will not extend his contract which is running out, so obviously he was a candidate for us.

"It all depends on Birmingham City, if they give us permission we will talk to him.

"Obviously if Birmingham say 'sorry, you can't speak to him' then he is under contract to them and we would have to abide by that."

Bruce has enjoyed a close working relationship with Birmingham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, declining the Newcastle job three years ago and then being backed by the club's owners midway through last season when his future looked in doubt because of poor results.

But the uncertainty over whether he has a long-term future at City may ultimately force him to reluctantly look elsewhere.

Wigan are determined to have a new manager in place before their next Barclays Premier League fixture away to Arsenal on November 24.