Whelan: Diame left over ´money, money, money´

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has taken a swipe at Mohamed Diame by insisting his departure from the Premier League club was driven by money.

Whelan hit out at the Senegalese midfielder who is now a free agent after quitting the DW Stadium and is currently seeking a new club after a prospective move to Liverpool broke down.

“(Mohamed) Diame is a good player and he is a good lad and we were disappointed that he did not sign for Wigan to be honest because he could not get a club in Spain when he was there three years,” he told Goal.com.

“So he is available on a free. He unfortunately has the problem with his ticker – his heart – and that is a serious problem. We have always addressed it and sort of helped him along with it. You have to keep that heart machine within 50 yards of him all the time.

“We picked him up when Barcelona had refused him because of his heart and we took the chance and brought him over and I don’t think that he has repaid the faith that we put in him and the chance we gave.

“I don’t think that is the lad – that is the agent giving him all kinds of advice. It’s down to money, money, money. I think he should be able to step back and have a look and think: ‘Who gave me the chance to play in the Premier League?’

“It was Wigan Athletic. He owes a lot to Roberto (Martinez) and I really don’t think he has repaid that.”

The 24-year-old Diame, who joined Wigan from Spanish side Rayo Vallecano in 2009, was in line to join Liverpool this summer but his hopes of moving to Anfield faded when Kenny Dalglish was sacked.

Martinez turned down the chance to succeed Dalglish and Whelan has pledged to back the Spaniard as he makes up for the loss of France-born Diame who has been linked with Everton, Tottenham, and Arsenal as well as Sevilla, Malaga and Valencia.

“We have lost three or four players and so Roberto will be in the transfer market and looking for what he wants and I will support him as much as I can,” the sports retail tycoon added.