Watson refused to sign a new contract at Palace last season

Wigan Athletic have signed Ben Watson from Crystal Palace on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Latics boss Steve Bruce has paid an estimated �2m for the 23-year-old midfielder to replace Wilson Palacios, who joined Tottenham last week.

Bruce told the club website: "I wanted to move quickly to start filling the gap left by Palacios, and Ben is the start of that process."

The ex-England Under-21 international had been a target of Middlesbrough.

Boro had a �2m bid accepted for Watson last week and he underwent a medical, but the deal collapsed.

Watson hopes to make his Wigan debut in their Premier League game against Liverpool on Wednesday.

606: DEBATE Watson definitely has the potential and has easily been one of, if not the, best players for Palace this season Rgmonster

"He's a midfielder who scores goals. He's got quick feet, plenty of power and is a terrific prospect."

Watson, who made his Palace debut aged 17 and has since scored 20 goals in 189 senior appearances, was in the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Wigan's transfer kitty was boosted when Palacios joined Spurs for �14m last week.

Bruce has also seen Emile Heskey leave for Aston Villa in a �3.5m deal, while Wigan and Boro have traded strikers with Mido moving to the JJB Stadium on loan and Marlon King going in the opposite direction, also on loan.

"I want to thank everyone at Palace, and all the supporters," Watson told Wigan's website.

"They have been great to me but this is a terrific opportunity for me to play in the top flight again and I just felt the time was right for a move for me.

"It's great to be back in the Premier League - Steve Bruce is the big pull here, it's a great time to be joining the club and I'm joining a team who are really flying."

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