Wigan boss Warren Joyce wants to keep reported Norwich City target Yanic Wildschut

Joyce insists he is trying to build something at the DW Stadium and sees Wildschut as a key figure, despite weekend reports of enquiries from both the Canaries and Championship rivals Derby in the £4m-rated Dutchman.

Alex Neil refused to be drawn on his interest after City's 2-0 league win against Birmingham City on Saturday, and Wildschut played the final 30 minutes of the Latics' 4-0 FA Cup defeat at Manchester United on Sunday afternoon following his return from a hamstring injury.

'It's simple as far as I'm concerned - you don't want to sell your best players,' Joyce told Wigan Today. 'I've come here and I'm trying to build a football club. I don't think Yanic had played a full game this season before I came to the football club. He's progressed, he's lost weight, he's sharper, he's fitter. 'I believe in him as a player, and I know he could play on stages like this (Old Trafford) every week. Those are the kind of players you want to keep hold of.'

Wildschut is short of match fitness after only training once during the build up to his side's FA Cup exit.

'Yanic's not trained really since the Burton game, he's had one day's work, so you're gambling at 2-0 down,' said Joyce. 'You don't want to expose him for longer than that, but you're just trying to build him up for Friday's game (against Sheffield Wednesday). He was actually coming on at 1-0, and we conceded again before we could get him on the field. You're thinking it's still tight, and you can still do something, and it's a different game if he comes on at 1-0 rather than 2-0.'

Neil played a straight bat on Saturday evening to reports of a failed £4m bid for Wildschut, before fresh speculation on Sunday City had returned with a successful offer.

'In terms of him (Wildschut) the one thing I don't like doing is commenting on other teams' players,' he said. 'I will talk about Robbie (Brady), because he is my player, but all I will say is we are trying to do business.