WIGAN are refusing to give up their chase for Burnley striker Robbie Blake.

The Clarets have already turned down two six-figure bids from the Latics for their influential captain and 11-goal top scorer, who remains locked in talks over a new Turf Moor deal.

But Wigan boss Paul Jewell is determined to keep the pressure on and has now called on multi-millionaire owner and chairman Dave Whelan to contact Clarets counterpart Barry Kilby and try to negotiate a deal.

Jewell said: "I'm going to leave this one with the chairman now. I think we made a fair offer for Robbie but obviously Burnley don't.

"It's out of my hands now but I might get the chairman to speak with their chairman.

"I don't want it to drag on and I think we need to know pretty soon what is happening.

"Just because we won 5-0 last weekend (against Preston) it doesn't mean I'm going to bury my head in the sand. I'm still going to try and bring players into the squad."

Burnley last week laughed off bids of £500,000 and then £600,000 from the Championship pacesetters.

And Wigan's latest audacious attempt at unsettling Blake is again likely to fall on deaf ears at Turf Moor.

Chief executive Dave Edmundson has already slammed the promotion-chasing Latics for trying to entice Blake to the JJB Stadium.

And he reiterated Burnley's intent to hang on to the former Bradford striker, who still has 18-months remaining on his current Turf Moor contract.

Edmundson said: "If Paul Jewell is saying he will leave it with the chairman, then Barry Kilby and Dave Whelan are likely to have a conversation.

"All that we can do is refute either written offers from Wigan or comment on other people's reference to our player.

"As we have said before, Robbie Blake remains a Burnley player and once again we have seen there is a tendency to try to stir the pot."

Edmundson, whose patience finally snapped last weekend when he revealed Blake was in talks over a new, extended deal, added: "Talks are still going on and the manager, Steve Cotterill, even spoke to Robbie yesterday as part of contract negotiations that have been going on for weeks now."

Burnley Reserves, still looking for their first win of the season, are back in Pontin's League action tonight with a home game against Wrexham. Kick off at Turf Moor is 7pm.