Wigan Athletic boss Roberto Martinez is expected to turn down Aston Villa.
The Daily Mail says Martinez is poised to disappoint Aston Villa after the Wigan boss told friends he wants to stay at the DW Stadium out of loyalty to club owner Dave Whelan.
While Villa remain hopeful that the highly-rated manager will be the successor to Gerard Houllier, Whelan and Martinez will meet at lunchtime on Friday and, barring a last-minute change of heart, the conversation will finish with the Spaniard committing to a new contract at Wigan.
A press conference has been provisionally scheduled for this afternoon in Lancashire.
Certainly Whelan expects a happy ending, although the canny 74-year-old was keeping his options open.
"I'm meeting Roberto and he doesn't mess about," he said.
