Jewell left Wigan in May after a 1-1 draw away to Sheffield United on the final day of last season ensured their survival in the Premier League and has had an extended break from the game.

Now he is keen to return, but rejected an offer from Wigan chairman Dave Whelan to replace his former assistant Chris Hutchings, insisting he has done all he can for the club and wants a new challenge.

"The chairman called me last week and made me a fabulous offer and I said to him that I would stick to what I had said in May," Jewell told Sky Sports News.

"I have had my time at Wigan, I enjoyed it immensely and I think it's time for myself and Wigan to search for pastures new.

"I wish them nothing but success, and the most important thing now is keeping them in the Premier League.

"I am very proud of the fact that when we were there, we took them from the third tier of English football and left them as a Premier League club which no one would have believed before we went there.

"I've got a unique relationship with the football club and the chairman and I think I have done well for them. I want to leave it at that."

Jewell was surprised to find himself being linked with the Wigan job - now predicted to go to former Everton boss Joe Royle - after making it clear he was open to offers of employment.

"It has been misconstrued, because I've said I'm ready to come back to work, people have put two and two together (in linking him with the Wigan job) and nothing could be further from the truth," he said.

"I'm ready, I've had six months off. I've enjoyed my time off and now I'm ready to come back to work. I've had a couple of offers that were at the wrong time, now I might not get another offer, who knows? I will talk to anybody. It doesn't have to be in the Premier League, ideally it would be, I'm actually proud to work anywhere.

"I'm not saying which clubs I'm after, but any chairman who wants to call me who hasn't got a manager, I will speak to them. I'm interested in clubs that are ambitious. I'm an ambitious guy and I want to work at as high a level as I possibly can."

Wigan revealed earlier today that Jewell had rejected the chance of a return to the JJB Stadium and are now looking at other applicants.

Former Oldham, Everton and Ipswich manager Royle has emerged as one of the favourites for the job, and Jewell added: "Whoever takes the Wigan job has a good enough squad to get out of trouble. Joe has been there, seen it and done it.

"He is a very experienced man, and he ticks all the boxes. But there are a lot of managers who are out of work, and they have got a decent list to choose from I should think."