Stoke missed out on Wigan striker Henri Camara this week after Man Utd starlet Fraizer Campbell's loan switch to Latics fell through.But everything changed when Spurs insisted Campbell be included as part of the deal which took Dimitar Berbatov to Old Trafford for £30.75m - although Campbell is only on loan at White Hart Lane.
Bruce told the Evening Post: "We were an inch away from getting the boy. At 8.30pm on deadline night I thought it was a done deal - we had agreed everything with Manchester United and Sir Alex.
"Unfortunately I then got a telephone call from Sir Alex at about 9pm saying the deal was off because Campbell was having to go to Tottenham."
Bruce added: "Once he became ravelled up in the Berbatov deal, that scuppered us, which was a big shame."
