Wigan Athletic Football Club

• Nickname:Latics
• Founded:1932
• Manager:Roberto Martinez

• Ground:JJB Stadium
• Capacity:25000

Latics leading Watson chase

25 Jan 2009 - 11:11:13

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Wigan Athletic are the frontrunners in the race to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson, according to Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate.

Boro were given permission to talk to the 22-year-old midfielder last week after tabling a bid believed to be in the region of £2million for the former England Under-21 international.

But Southgate believes Wigan have joined the race for the highly-rated midfielder and he expects Watson to make the move to the JJB Stadium.

"We think he is joining Wigan," he conceded.

"We are disappointed because we have done a lot of work over a couple of months towards that but that's the way it goes sometimes. Sometimes you don't get it.

"Like I said, it's a disappointment but several factors came into a player's mind and our league position may come into it.

"He's a good kid and we would have liked to have signed him but we move on."