WANDERERS have told Marcos Alonso they will not pay more than they can afford to keep him.

Dougie Freedman is keen to keep the ever-improving full-back at the club next season amidst heavy interest from Fiorentina, Celtic, Stoke City and Swansea City.

But while the Whites boss is confident he has now tied up midfield ace Stuart Holden for next year, he is reluctant to try to match the big money offers for the former Real Madrid man while the club still do not know what division they will be playing in next season.

Alonso will face Bristol City tomorrow looking to make sure the Whites’ play-off push continues – and Freedman believes the ball is now firmly in the defender’s court.

“He’s a fantastic fella to work with, and he’s looking around and seeing his options, but we’re in the hunt with everyone else,” he said.

“I won’t put the club’s financial position in jeopardy in terms of breaking the bank. I don’t think that’s right. A player will stay with me because he feels he will develop.”

Alonso has come on in leaps and bounds since securing a first-team place under Freedman and has weighed in with two goals in his last five games. But the Wanderers boss reckons the youngster still has plenty of room for improvement if he decides to stay. “He has been playing well,” Freedman said. “He’s the kind of project I like to work with.

“He has got that good physique, he’s hungry to do well, he’s not established yet but it’s getting to the stage when Marcos has got to decide if that is the best career move for him or not.

“I can’t change how I work with players. I won’t be irresponsible because I think that’s the right way to manage a football club.”

Freedman also confirmed that Holden’s new deal was now just a matter of putting pen to paper.

The American fan-favourite has been sent out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday to gain match fitness and has made two appearances for the Owls so far.

“Stuart was offered a contract the day he went to Sheffield Wednesday and he has accepted it,” Freedman said. “It isn’t done yet, he hasn’t signed it, but I know what he is like and he’s a good man so that was the close of that event for me.”

Freedman also revealed that discussions between the club and Holden passed in the blink of an eye, with the 27-year-old relishing the opportunity to get back into the first team frame at the Reebok.

“It has been agreed – it’s just signing it, really,” Freedman said of the new deal. “It would take literally two minutes.

“I said ‘Stu I want you to stay, you have had a long term injury, I can’t guarantee you football at the moment because of the situation we’re in but I want you to sign.’ “The chairman, Phil (Gartside) got involved and spoke to the agent, fantastic, and then question two was ‘would you like to go on loan?’ “It was done in minutes and now it’s literally paperwork.”