Palacios nears Spurs switch

Wigan are on the verge of selling the Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios to Tottenham, according to the Latics manager Steve Bruce.

WIGAN // Wigan are on the verge of selling the Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios to Tottenham. The Latics manager Steve Bruce said today that the move was being held up only by a disagreement between the Premier League rivals over how the transfer fee should be paid. Wigan signed the 24-year-old Palacios from Deportivo Olimpia for £1 million (Dh5.44m) a year ago but British papers have reported that Spurs are prepared to pay as much as £14m (Dh76,186m).

"The two clubs have virtually agreed a fee. It is how that fee should be paid," Bruce said. "It is up to us as a selling club to demand what we want in terms of how we should be paid and how we should be structured. We will see what happens." The Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is seeking to rejuvenate his side, which is stuck in the relegation zone. The England international Jermaine Jenas is rumoured to be up for sale to raise funds and make way for Palacios. Sky Sports News TV quoted the Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho on Friday as saying he wanted to sign Jenas for the Italian league leaders. Bruce wants to keep Palacios in his team, which had its best ever Premier League run of nine unbeaten games ended by a 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Wednesday. "Wilson is still with us and I'm preparing him to play against Manchester City tomorrow," Bruce said. "That's the situation at the moment, but we will see what happens in the next few hours." *AP