Mvoto set to leave Latics

Jean Yves-Mvoto: looks set to leave Boundary Park

ATHLETIC have only a slim chance of keeping hold of Jean-Yves Mvoto for next season, but manager Lee Johnson has already lined up two potential replacements.

A contract offer was put to the imposing and improving centre-back weeks ago. But the silence from his representative leads Johnson to believe Mvoto will end up moving on. Doncaster have been strongly linked with the 24 year old. Mvoto’s former manager Paul Dickov is now in charge there, which reinforces existing admiration from the club.

Johnson is focusing on bringing at least one centre-back to fill the expected void, with loans from the Premier League and Championship the favoured option.

“We are at a bit of a stalemate over Mvoto,” Johnson told the Chronicle. “It has been difficult to get hold of his agent and though I have spoken to Jean, he is leaving it all to his agent.

“You never say never, but I would say it is about an 85 per cent chance he won’t be with us next season. “He will be a miss for us, but we will adapt. We have lined up a couple of centre-backs, one a Premier League loan and one a Championship loan. We will probably pick one of those two.”

Cliff Byrne is also set to move out of the club, provided Scunthorpe can make room in their budget.

Though under contract to Athletic for another year, Johnson has confirmed he would be willing to let the player leave.

The likely loss of Mvoto and Byrne makes the signing of fellow centre-back James Tarkowski for two years yesterday was all the more vital.

“I like him as a player and also as a lad,” Johnson added. “He is a good trainer and has a good attitude to the game. I don’t think he is quite ready for the Championship yet — but I think that he will be.

“I’m looking forward to working with him to help him reach the potential we know he has.”


FORMER Athletic goalkeeper Alex Cisak has signed a two-year deal with Burnley.
Cisak (24) secured his release from Boundary Park last week after an unhappy season in which he lost his place as number one to Dean Bouzanis and went public on an unspecified contractual dispute while on loan at Portsmouth.

CURZON Ashton will host Athletic in a pre-season friendly on Monday, July 15 (7pm kick-off).