Wigan manager Steve Bruce has revealed that his club have reached “virtual agreement” with Tottenham over the transfer of Wilson Palacios.
Spurs failed with a £10 million bid for the Honduran midfielder on Wednesday evening, which Latics chairman Dave Whelan said was “not enough” for the player.
However, Spurs have returned with an improved offer for the 24-year-old – believed to be in the region of £14m – which has been accepted by Wigan.
It remains to be seen if the finer details of the move can be agreed, and Bruce is retaining some slim hope that he may manage to hold onto the star.
Bruce said: "The two clubs have virtually agreed a fee. It is how that fee should be paid.
"It is up to us as a selling club to demand what we want in terms of how we should be paid and how we should be structured. We will see what happens.
"Wilson is still with us and I'm preparing him to play against Manchester City. That's the situation at the moment but we will see what happens in the next few hours."
The sale of Palacios will net The Latics a huge profit on a player Bruce signed for just £1m from Deportivo Olimpia this time last year.
He said: "You look at what we bought him for and what we might sell him for and it is quite remarkable.
"But as a manager you don't want to lose one of your best players.
"Of course we have to be realistic, which I am.
"We are Wigan Athletic and if it is the wish of the player (to leave) all these things have to be taken into consideration.
"Spurs can offer bigger contracts than us. They can blow us out of the water but it would be like losing my right arm.
"The last thing I want to do is dismantle my team. Wilson has come from nowhere to being one of the best midfield players in the country.
"When we played Manchester United in midweek at Old Trafford, it didn't faze him at all and at his age he can only get better."