Wigan Athletic are moving closer to signing Middlesbrough’s Lee Cattermole after tabling an improved offer for the midfielder.

The Latics have been linked with a move for 20-year-old Cattermole all summer, with their opening offer of £2.5million being rejected by Boro as they hold out for their £4million valuation of the England Under-21 International.

However, it now appears that Wigan have upped their offer to £3.5million, with it believed that this could be enough for Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate to let him leave the Riverside Stadium.

Southgate left Cattermole out of the team that drew with SPL team Celtic in Portugal on Tuesday night to ensure he was fit enough to move to the JJB Stadium if an acceptable offer came in.

Southgate told the Gazette: “Something could happen in the next 24 hours.

“It's not a deal that's been agreed, but they have put a revised bid in and it's pretty close to what we're looking for, so we felt from everybody's point of view it was best if he didn't play.

“But he's still our player and he stays with us on this trip, he'll stay with us as long as he's our player.”