Source: Daily_Mail
How Wilson proved his doubters wrong as wonderkid gets ready for Spurs
Star man: Midfielder Wilson Palacios has signed for Spurs for£14million
Bruce saw something the others had missed, even though it was Arsene Wenger who advised him to take a look at the boy from La Ceiba after Palacios failed to make the grade during a two-week trial at Arsenal.
It is also why Bruce seized the chance to sign him when he left Birmingham to take over at Wigan - but neither manager could ever have imagined that Palacios, 24, would return to north London one day as a£14million signing for Tottenham.
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He is the kind of midfield anchorman who will allow Luka Modric to express his creativity to the full.
Brucie's bonus: Wigan boss Steve Bruce was so impressed with Palacios that he signed him - twice
'The club's record transfer fee (received) will be smashed if the deal goes through but that was never mine or the club's motivation,' said Bruce yesterday, confirming the move will proceed subject to work permit approval. 'We did everything we could to keep Wilson. But I'm a big believer in not standing in the way of players' careers.'
The opportunity to take Palacios from Birmingham a year ago might never have arisen had the youngest of his four brothers, 16-year-old Edwin, not been kidnapped by an armed gang who raided the family home in October 2007 and tied up his parents.
Wilson flew home to help pay the ransom, denying Bruce's successor Alex McLeish an opportunity to assess him properly, and was held up for two weeks in New York on the way back due to visa problems.
Going for the spectacular: Palacios attempts an overhead kick for Wigan
When Palacios returned, he was offered only an extension to his six-month loan deal from Honduran club Olimpia instead of a permanent deal which would have cost£700,000.
Bruce was waiting with a£1m offer, eager to sign a midfielder whose combative style and passing ability he likened to a young Paul Ince. The disillusioned Palacios was only too happy to be reunited with his old boss.
The sense of regret at St Andrew's was shared by Birmingham's managing director Karren Brady when news of a multi-million pound bidding war between Spurs and Manchester City emerged as she was about to go to bed last week. 'I got an email at 1am from the chairman David Sullivan informing me he'd just read about the offers for Palacios,' says Brady. 'I wanted to thrash my pillow.'
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is excited about his new signing and feels he has an important part to play in rejuvenating Spurs' season.
'Palacios will come in here, get after it and play aggressively,' said Redknapp. 'He will work and close and run and I feel we need a bit of that. I speak to people who have played against him, like Frank Lampard, and no one has had an easy game.
Shocking situation: Honduras international's younger brother is being held captive
He's after you all the time.' But Palacios's career continues to be overshadowed by the situation with Edwin, who remains in captivity, although he is allowed contact by telephone.
'The truth of it is that life is hard in Honduras,' he said. 'The streets are not covered in gold and people like me who make it out always have to think, "can I go somewhere else to get some money for my family?".'
It has been a long road for Palacios but the answer would appear to lie at White Hart Lane.
More...
Spurs boss Harry hails the arrival of growler Palacios
Tottenham complete£12m deal to sign Palacios- with Cudicini set to follow
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