Wigan Athletic are stepping up their quest to sign Raul Tamudo in the January transfer window as the striker's relationship with Espanyol reached a new low this week.
Latics' boss Roberto Martinez is keen to take his fellow Catalan to the Premier League outfit as he needs a replacement after seeing Marlon King sacked by the club.
Tamudo has lost his status as an Espanyol idol after it was revealed by president Dani Sanchez Llibre that he had lied when he said he did not try to force a transfer last season.
With accusations flying back and forth in the local press, the Blanc i Blau have decided to off-load their former captain and all-time record goalscorer as soon as possible.
ContactThat has let Martinez in and he is already believed to have made contact with Tamudo's agent, Tomas Duran, to sound him out about the player joining Wigan.
Martinez has confirmed he is looking for striking reinforcements after losing jailed King.
"We are now one striker short. The squad is one body less and it is important we address that situation," Martinez told the Manchester Evening News .
"We are following different players in different leagues and different markets.
"In the long-term, we need to make sure not just regarding the striking position we keep improving, but helping the players we already have here become strikers."
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