Wigan Athletic's hopes of signing former Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra have reportedly been slashed by his club Lekhwiya.

The 30-year-old was a loan target for the Premier League outfit at the beginning of the season, but eventually he moved to the Middle East.

"Wigan wanted a loan deal, but Lekhwiya did not think they could find a replacement so decided not to do a deal," a source close to the transfer confirmed.

It is understood that Martinez could now offer a deal to former defender Paul Scharner to ease his defensive worries.