MIDDLESBROUGH midfield target Ben Watson has signed for Wigan after Steve Bruce moved to fill the void left by Wilson Palacios.
Bruce paid £2million for 23-year-old Watson, who was poised to join Middlesbrough until Wigan stepped in and offered a more lucrative contract. Boro's precarious league position is also believed to have been a factor in Watson's decision to join the Latics.
England Under-21s midfielder Watson, who made 189 appearances for Palace, has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Wigan.
A delighted Bruce said: "We have been watching Ben for some time, and believe he has the maturity to step back to the highest level and make an impression.
After beating Boro to the punch for a player who was due to be out of contract in the summer, Bruce added: "It speaks volumes about the progress of the club that we can compete with established Premier League clubs for players.
"He's a midfielder who scores goals, has quick feet, plenty of power and is a terrific prospect.
"I wanted to move quickly to start filling the gap left by Wilson Palacios, and Ben is the start of that process."
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