Wigan has resigned themselves to losing Australian five-eighth Trent Barrett after the English Super League season if he chooses to end his contract a year early.

Responding to speculation the former Test player wants to return home for family reasons, the Warriors said chairman Ian Lenagan had met with Barrett last week to discuss the 30-year-old's future at the club.

"The outcome of the informal meeting is that Trent will definitely complete this season with Wigan - which was never at issue with Trent - but will almost certainly leave then and not complete his third contracted year," the club said in a statement on their website.

Barrett is less than halfway through a three-year contract but plans to cut short his stay because his pregnant wife, Kylie, is reportedly homesick.

"The uncertainty arises from the fact that we have not yet received a formal release request from Trent's agent, that discussions on compensation have not yet even started and that changes of mind can sometimes occur in these situations," the club said.

"In these particularly genuine circumstances, the Wigan club does not believe that forcing the player to honour his contract would be sensible, since an unsettled player can result in poor performances which are of no benefit to either party."

Barrett's old club, St George Illawarra, who will be coached by Wayne Bennett from 2009, are among several NRL clubs keen to secure his signature.

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