WANDERERS manager Gareth Ainsworth has confirmed rumours of Premier League interest for Kortney Hause, admitting he cannot wait until the transfer window shuts.

Reports in the national press have linked the 18-year-old with a move to Everton after winning plenty of admirers since he moved to Adams Park from West Ham last year.

Ainsworth has confirmed the club has had contact over the highly-rated defender, with the Blues boss hoping he can hang on to his players as a relegation dog fight looks more likely.

He said he was not aware of any bids but that offers “were close”, and that if the right one came in, he would be informed by the board.

He said: “I’ve always said the problem will be holding on to some of them, and with 16 days left those can’t come quick enough for me.

“There’s reports in every paper about Kortney and it’s been on Sky, I wouldn’t believe everything you read, but there’s interest in the Premier League for Kortney Hause.

“But why wouldn’t there be, he’s an outstanding prospect, I believe he’ll play higher one day and I believe he’s got the quality to play in the Premier League

“It’s flattering, and it’s great for us for one of our players to be linked there, so he’s one of the ones who I talk about keeping hold of.

“If one does go out, be it Kortney or whoever, it’s up to me to replace those and get the next ones through the door at the moment I’m happy that my phone’s not ringing.”

Blues have made one loan signing already, with defender Jordan Mustoe coming in on an initial one month loan from Wigan.

The 22-year-old did not feature in the derby loss to Oxford on Saturday, having only arriving from the north on Friday.

And despite Blues’ comparatively shallow pockets, Ainsworth has not ruled out further additions to the squad.

But he warned it will take some shrewd business to bring in any more new faces in the remaining two weeks of the transfer window.

He said: “If we do get any more in it will be through very good deals and very good contacts because we can’t go out spending willy nilly.

“We’re going to play it cute and bide our time but it’s got to be the right people coming in, the right characters, the right spirit if any come in at all.”