By John Edwards

PUBLISHED: 17:45 EST, 7 December 2012 | UPDATED: 17:45 EST, 7 December 2012

Arsenal and Liverpool face a long wait to land top transfer target James McCarthy after Roberto Martinez insisted Wigan will not cash in on their most prized asset.

Liverpool have revived their interest in the Scotland midfielder, after having him on trial at Anfield as a 15-year-old, while Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has also been monitoring his form this season.

Martinez is in no doubt the 22-year old is destined for a top-four club but still warned his growing list of admirers it will not happen for at least another two years.

Tipped for the top: Wigan's Scottish midfielder James McCarthy (left)

Tipped for the top: Wigan's Scottish midfielder James McCarthy (left)

'He is already a very mature player and person, and when you consider his age, it's quite scary to think what he can achieve,' said the Wigan manager.

'It's rare for a player so young to have such composure on the ball, but there is even more to come. He has another two steps to go to fulfil his potential, and I can guarantee he will do that.

'It won't be difficult hanging on to him, because he is in the perfect place at the moment, and he knows that. He will fight to win titles and play in the Champions' League, and when he does, we will all be very proud here. But it will only happen when it is right for him and us, and that will be a few years down the line.'

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He could go Liverpool when Sahin goes back to real

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Scotland midfielder? He is an Irish international.

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Wouldn't surprise me if a club on the continent bought him. He'd fit in well with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Javi Martinez in the middle of the park at Bayern Munich.

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I don't think McCarthy has developed as much as many people expected. I don't expect him to be at Wigan past the summer though but he has to be careful the next team he chooses as the aim should be to get regular football and there are some clubs notorious for overpaying for players to get their signature and then resign them to the bench until they get frustrated and leave. A lot of times the player never gets back to the player he was, so McCarthy has a huge decision to make when the time comes. He would get playing time under Brendan Rodgers and to a lesser extent Arsenal, but he should never consider City, United or Chelsea as the experience could ruin his career.

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money talks Martinez....and if a club comes in with a sizeable offer in the January transfer window Whelan won't think twice about letting him go...

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