Martinez fails in McGeady bid

Paul Hyland

AIDEN McGEADY will look again at an early return from Moscow in the summer when his lucrative contract will have just 12 months to run.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is a long-time fan of McGeady and has now tried unsuccessfully to sign him on three different occasions.

Reports suggest that Wigan and Spartak Moscow had agreed a £5million price for McGeady but that the deal fell apart over personal terms. McGeady is thought to be on an £80k-per-week salary and will almost certainly have to take a big wage-cut when he does decide to return.

Waiting in the wings yesterday were David Moyes, who has maintained a long-term interest in McGeady, and Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill, who knows the player from their time together at Parkhead.

Martinez expressed disappointment as the January deadline came and went without a deal. "It's not going to happen," Martinez said yesterday.

"Aiden is a phenomenal footballer, but is a footballer that is playing his football in Russia. I don't think that's going to change."