Wonder who Bartons agent is? Can't see him talking to Wigan.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told talkSPORT he would be happy to have Joey Barton at the club.
The midfielder is free to leave Newcastle for nothing but his penchant for courting controversy is believed to be putting a number of clubs off making a move.
However, Whelan insists he would welcome the 28-year-old to the DW Stadium, if the club's manager Roberto Martinez wanted him.
“I would say ‘Roberto, I’m backing you’. He’s the boss and I let him be the boss,” said Whelan. “If Roberto would like to sign Joey Barton, I would try and get him.”
Barton’s fallout with Newcastle is over a series of critical comments aimed at club chiefs on Twitter and Whelan has urged him to keep quiet and concentrate on his football.
“When you watch Joey play, he’s a good player, make no mistake about that," he added. "I’ve never met the lad but people have told me that he’s a bit difficult to handle, he's a bit hot-headed.
"I think a football club should keep itself to itself, especially with the players and the staff. I just think Joey should calm down, play football, because he's a very, very good player, and my advice would be to be quiet, say nothing, and go on the field and do your stuff."
