Soccer-Palacios to return home after reports of brother's murder

By Mike Collett

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur withdrew Honduran midfielder Wilson Palacios from the match against Everton on Saturday after reports that the dead body of his kidnapped brother had been discovered in Honduras.

"We are waiting for further information, but Wilson was withdrawn from the squad for the Everton match. He will fly back to Honduras on Sunday," a Tottenham spokesman said.

Edwin Palacios, the youngest brother of the 24-year-old Spurs midfielder, was kidnapped from his parents' house in October 2007.

Honduran police believe the body they found 150 miles north of the capital Tegucigalpa was that of the kidnapped teenager, the spokesman said.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp told Sky Sports News after the match against Everton ended in a 0-0 draw: "It's been a bad day. We got a message at seven o'clock this morning that he has to rush home, that the young boy could have been killed.

"He was kidnapped 18 months ago or so, and it was bad to see Wilson in the state he was in with this bad news."

If the body is confirmed to be that of Edwin Palacios, Wilson will be the second Tottenham player to have lost a brother in recent weeks.

Last month Jade Defoe, the 26-year-old brother of striker Jermain Defoe, died after being attacked in east London. (To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)