WANDERERS have laid down a challenge to out-of-contract midfielder Wilson Palacios: Prove your fitness, and we’ll talk about a deal.

The 30-year-old Honduran will continue to train with the Whites until the end of the week and is likely to accompany them on Sunday as they fly out for their pre-season training camp in Austria.

But the club insist they have yet to discuss a contract and won’t do so until they are convinced he is over the injury problems that have kept him out of competitive club action since April 2014.

Knee problems restricted Palacios to just 14 starts in three seasons for his previous club Stoke City, who paid £6million to Tottenham for his services in August 2011.

A move to Qatar broke down last season after Palacios failed a medical and MLS club Philadelphia Union also passed on offering him a deal earlier this month, claiming he was not in the right condition for first-team football at present.

Early reports from Euxton have been encouraging, however, and with Palacios not included in the Honduras squad for the Gold Cup, Wanderers have an opportunity to take some extra time before discussing a contract.

Finances remain tight, although Lennon could have a little breathing room should he be able to sell fringe players Sanmi Odelusi and Conor Wilkinson in the next few days.

One player who looks unlikely to link up with Wanderers in Austria is Eidur Gudjohnsen, who is in discussion with newly-promoted Chinese club Shijiazhuang Ever Bright about a deal next season.

The former Barcelona and Chelsea star was given some extra time off by Neil Lennon after featuring for Iceland in the European Championship qualifiers but had been struggling to agree personal terms with the Whites.

Sources close to the player suggest he is close to agreeing a lucrative one-year deal in the North Chinese Hebei province.

Medo Kamara has also been granted extra time off after working with the Sierra Leone squad in the last couple of weeks. The midfielder is expected to join Wanderers on tour for friendlies against Sturm Graz and SC Paderborn.

Meanwhile, a change has been made to Wanderers’ early-season fixture list after the first round of televised games were announced by Sky Sports yesterday.

The derby clash at Blackburn Rovers will now take place on Friday, August 28, with a 7.45pm kick-off at Ewood Park.