No signing deadline for defender

JEAN-YVES MVOTO . . . excellent second-half of season 2012-2013.

ATHLETIC remain hopeful of retaining Jean-Yves Mvoto — and haven’t handed the big centre-back a deadline to make up his mind.

The 24-year-old former Paris St Germain prospect, outstanding in the latter half of last season, is considering an offer from Athletic. The out of contract player said in the past he would be content to remain.

“I’m happy here,” he said prior to negotiations. “I live in Manchester and know everything here, so why not?”

The defender has attracted attention from other clubs, Athletic manager Lee Johnson confirmed.

Unlike Lee Croft, whose agent was given a deadline which expired, Johnson is this time prepared to wait.

“No deadline has been given,” Johnson told the Chronicle. “We would like him to stay.”





Johnson remains hopeful of signing the new player he had hoped to bring in last week, though he doesn’t anticipate any developments in the next few days.

Ross County playmaker Iain Vigurs has been strongly linked with a switch, but the club isn’t revealing names.

Johnson also confirmed the club has received no offer for top scorer Jose Baxter, whose 15 goals did much to steer Athletic from relegation.

Baxter has two years left on his contract and it would take a large fee to take him away.

mattchambers@oldham-chronicle.co.uk