We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement for the transfer of Wilson Palacios from Wigan Athletic.

Personal terms have been agreed and a medical completed, we now await the Honduran international receiving his work permit before completing his registration.

The midfielder made 41 appearances for the Latics after joining in January, 2008 having started the 2007/08 campaign on loan with Birmingham City, where he featured on eight occasions.

The 24-year-old had previously played for Honduran top-flight side Olimpia where he scored 32 goals in 102 appearances.

Confirmed already? Cudicini?

palacios deal confirmed

Playing at Old Trafford is often rated as one of the high points of a footballer’s career. But an appearance at Manchester United could signal the end of a few Tottenham careers tomorrow.

Manager Harry Redknapp was furious with the way Spurs almost threw a Carling Cup final place away against Burnley on Wednesday night – rescued only in the dying moments by goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe – and warned a number of players had put their futures at risk.

He also claimed the Wembley clash against Manchester United and Premier League survival must take priority over the FA Cup and UEFA Cup for the remainder of the season.

Redknapp is prepared to risk a thrashing by fielding a weakened side in the FA Cup against United in the hope it will help Tottenham’s chances of securing a vital league victory over Stoke next week.

But his policy has spread fear throughout White Hart Lane, with one club insider describing the players he picks to travel to Old Trafford as “the bomb squad”.

The popular theory within the Spurs dressing room is the majority of the team who take on United can count themselves among the unwanted. Those who sit out tomorrow’s game will feel they have earned a reprieve.

Of the squad he inherited from Juande Ramos, Redknapp has only been totally convinced by defenders Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson and midfielder Jamie O’Hara.

Winger Aaron Lennon and playmaker Luka Modric have impressed in flashes, but concerns remain over their consistency. Striker Darren Bent, who missed the Burnley tie through injury but could be available tomorrow, fears for his White Hart Lane future, while Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone and Gareth Bale are understood to be at risk.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has already been loaned out to Borussia Dortmund, while Hossam Ghaly is on his way out to Al Nasr and Valencia are confident of landing Cesar Sanchez.

Ideally, Redknapp would like to sign a new goalkeeper – Le Mans’ Yohann Pele is the latest name to be linked – two full-backs, a central midfielder, a left winger and a striker to partner Defoe. Although Defoe is one of the few squad members who are safe, he confirmed there are a number of worried players who are well aware Redknapp is looking to make big changes.

“Football is all about confidence and, at the minute, the lads don’t look that confident,” said Defoe.

“Harry is the manager, he makes the decisions. He can analyse the situation and look at the players and it’s for him to say what happens.

“I’m just one of the players and I’ve come in and I’m trying to do my best for the team. I’m sure the manager will want to bring in his own players and I’m sure he’ll do that.”

Injuries to King, Woodgate, O’Hara, Jenas, Lennon, Heurelho Gomes, Alan Hutton and Vedran Corluka, together with Fraizer Campbell’s ineligibility and Wilson Palacios’s suspension, should spare Redknapp and Spurs from any FA sanctions for not fielding their strongest team against United.

And not even the fact Redknapp is the current holder of the FA Cup, after winning the competition with Portsmouth last season, is likely to sway his thinking.

“Nobody respects the FA Cup more than I do,” said Redknapp. “I was brought up with it and watching the final is one of the highlights of my year. Last year, I put out my best team in every round trying to get to Wembley and we did it.

“But we’re in a position at the moment at Tottenham where the squad is just not big enough to keep playing all these games. We go to Old Trafford before we play Stoke on Tuesday and I’m going to have to patch up any kind of team I can to send out at Old Trafford.

“We’ve had a tough schedule and we are short of strength in depth for the number of competitions we’re in.

“We haven’t got the strength in depth to carry what we’re trying to do. We’re in too many
competitions.

“The Carling Cup didn’t help the league form last year, did it? We got to the final and only won three more Premier League games up to the day I arrived here. I hope it has the reverse effect this year.

“The key is winning league games. Everything is secondary to the Premier League, but the Carling Cup is the next most important thing now because we’re so close.

“This season, in all honesty, the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup are very secondary.”

after PAV scored, poor performances by our lads...
really disappointed..

Tottenham have completed the signing of goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini on a free transfer from Chelsea.

The 35-year-old joined the Blues on loan in 1999 from Italian side Castel Di Sangro and signed a permanent deal a year later, costing the club £130,000.

Cudicini will provide competition for Heurelho Gomes who has been the subject of much criticism this season.

"Chelsea can confirm Carlo Cudicini has signed for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer," read a Chelsea statement.

"The club would like to take this opportunity to thank Carlo for his years of service and wish him well."

Tottenham paid PSV Eindhoven £7m for Brazilian Gomes in the summer and he struggled with his form initially before a string of improved displays.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has been looking for a goalkeeper ever since reserve team stopper Cesar Sanchez was released earlier this month.

Voted Chelsea Player of the Year in 2002, Cudicini has found his chances limited since Petr Cech's arrival in 2004.