Wigan Athletic boss Malky Mackay has admitted that he may be powerless to prevent Shaun Maloney from leaving the club this month.
Premier League outfits Burnley, Everton and Leicester City are reportedly interested in the 31-year-old, with the latter said to be readying a £1m bid.
With the player's contract scheduled to expire in the summer, Mackay concedes that his hands are tied in regards to retaining the "quality" Scotsman.
"There have been four or five enquiries on Shaun. We will play that by ear. It will be a club decision, but I have to say he has been excellent as a professional," he told reporters.
"He has massive quality, but he has six months left on his contract, it's frustrating. There's not much I can do about that. It's something that may be out of my control.
"Obviously I want to keep my best players, but that is not always something you can do."
The Scotland midfielder has netted twice in nine Championship outings this season.
Shane Callaghan
