The club have agreed a deal, believed to be in the region of £4.5m, for the Necaxa striker and just need to complete the paperwork on a work permit next week.

With Emile Heskey and Henri Camara in the last six months of their contracts and Amr Zaki only on loan until the end of the season, there will be speculation about who the Colombian has been brought in to replace.

However, Bruce stressed that was not the case and he could not afford to lose anyone from his squad.

"We have three strikers in Heskey, Zaki and Camara with obviously Antoine Sibierski on loan (at Norwich)," he said.

"We are a little bit light in that area but it doesn't pave the way for anyone (to leave) because in terms of numbers, I have 19 outfield players and three goalkeepers.

"If we lose two or three we are up against it but I'd rather have 23 or 24 because it's easier to handle. It doesn't pave the way for anyone to go."

No problems

Bruce expects the 23-year-old to take a while to settle in - as was the case with his other South and Central American signings - which is why he is keen to hang on to all three of his forwards.

"The good thing about the form of Heskey and Zaki is if you are bringing in someone from afar, like Wilson Palacios, Antonio Valencia, Maynor Figueroa, you have to give them time to fit in," he added.

"Figueroa was here six months before we gave him his debut. It helps you to just bed them in and make sure they get used to coming to England, which is never easy.

"We are just delighted we have been able to get someone in who can give us a boost.

"In the dressing room there is nothing better than when a good player walks through the door and the guys say 'I'm glad he's come along'.

"That is what we are trying to do, rather than let anyone else go."

The Wigan manager is confident there will be no problems at Monday's work permit hearing in Manchester.