Albion plan to speak to the Latics about a fee for Ellington and are optimistic about concluding a deal by the early part of next week.

Ellington has been left out of the squad for Wigan’s opening Premiership match of the campaign with Chelsea at the JJB Stadium on Sunday.

The Bradford-born player has just one year left of his current contract and there is a clause which enables him to speak to any club that offers £3m (€4.4m) for his services.

Albion manager Bryan Robson said: “Nathan is a great athlete, very strong and quick. He has got a good goalscoring record. That’s the reason we have put a bid in and why we are trying to sign him.”

Ellington has scored 67 goals in 146 appearances for Wigan and his partnership with former Albion striker Jason Roberts played a major part in them gaining promotion from the Championship last season.

Robson is hoping to make a double signing in the next few days and he is also tracking an unnamed central defender to provide competition for Thomas Gaardsoe and Neil Clement who formed an impressive combination in the second half of last season.

Robson said: “I am waiting for information to come back from the club to whom we have put an offer in for a centre-back. Ellington and that defender are the two key ones we are looking at. I am quite hopeful.

“I am quite hopeful by next week, there might be two players in here. If not, then I’m still fairly happy with the squad I am going with into the season with anyway.”

Robson would like some extra defensive cover after the departure of Darren Purse to Cardiff in the summer.