Tottenham could become involved in the transfer market very quickly in coming days, as Harry Redknapp is suddenly being linked with moves for a slew of players. Most notable among those is Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, the 6'7 English international who 'Arry has already purchased twice in his career.
Crouch, who has also drawn the interest of Sunderland and Fullham, is one of the better English strikers in the game at the moment and, due to his size, certainly one of the most unique. His goal scoring rate, however, fell off rapidly last season after Redknapp moved to Spurs, taking Jermaine Defoe with him. It is certainly worth noting, also, that Crouch's stats aren't quite as good as he seems to be remembered, as he scored 22 goals in 85 appearances with Liverpool and 11 goals in 35 games last season with Portsmouth.
As long as there are other players available, Redknapp should avoid a move for Crouch who, while an interesting target man, simply doesn't produce enough to be a particularly valuable player for any side.
There are many better ways to spend £12 million.
One of those ways may be registering an interest in Leeds United midfielder Fabian Delph, a young Englishman who has been one of the top prospects in England for two seasons now. Leeds, which is notable for producing excellent midfielders (Aaron Lennon included), reportedly want somewhere between £5 and £6 million for Delph.
The central midfielder would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but doing so would almost certainly mean the end of either Tom Huddlestone or Jermaine Jenas, as Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios are solidified in the starting central midfield spots. It would, however, likely be a move that pays off in the future and could also help Spurs prepare for the rumored FIFA 5+6 rules. Delph has also been strongly linked with Marin O'Neill's Aston Villa, who appear to be the favorites in the race for his signature.
Another move to the future would be the signing of Hamilton Academical striker James McCarthy, who has been strongly linked with a move to Wigan. McCarthy is a legitimate prospect, something affirmed by Wigan's interest. He does not, however, appear likely to move to Spurs, as Roberto Martinez's club are more interested in the player and could offer playing time pretty quickly.
Tottenham have reportedly not offered a concrete bid for McCarthy yet.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Gunter's Spurs spell ends
The initial news that Tottenham had agreed to loan 19-year-old right back Chris Gunter to Nottingham Forest proved false yesterday, as the deal was not a loan but instead a permanent sale, with Gunter costing the Reds £2 million.
Gunter has a the potential to end up being a very solid player for the duration of his career, but there was simply no place for him in a Tottenham squad that is undeniably looking to win its way back into Europe next season, as Redknapp already has Corluka, Hutton, and Chimbonda at right back.
Best of luck to Gunter at Nottingham Forest. Hopefully he can impress and work his way back onto another Premiership squad.
Gunter has a the potential to end up being a very solid player for the duration of his career, but there was simply no place for him in a Tottenham squad that is undeniably looking to win its way back into Europe next season, as Redknapp already has Corluka, Hutton, and Chimbonda at right back.
Best of luck to Gunter at Nottingham Forest. Hopefully he can impress and work his way back onto another Premiership squad.
Friday, July 17, 2009
The Madrid striker interest continues . . .
After inking the signings of the "Kyle duo" today, Harry Redknapp is continuing his interest in another duo-Real Madrid strikers Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Alvaro Negredo.
Madrid reportedly need to sell at least five players before they go on another spending spree, and Spurs are reportedly interested in both the strikers and winger Arjen Robben.
Negredo appears to be the closest to a deal, as there are reports emanating out of Spain that suggest that the deal with the Spaniard could actually be completed by the weekend. Negredo, who many Madrid fans feel could be the next great Spanish footballer, has spent the last two seasons with Alemeria, where he scored 32 goals in 70 appearances.
The 23-year-old had been linked to Liverpool earlier in this window as a makeweight for Xabi Alonso, but the Anfield club seem to be more interested in receiving a massive sum for the midfielder than a striker.
The Daily Mail suggests that Tottenham's bid for Negredo means that Redknapp thinks he is losing out to Stuttgart for the signing of Huntelaar, but that is not necessarily the case.
Stuttgart have had a bid (believed to be €15.5 million) accepted for Huntelaar, but the ex-Ajax man doesn't seem particularly thrilled about heading to the relative backwater of Germany, even if it does mean Champions League football. Instead, Huntelaar has been stalling on the move by delaying talks with Stuttgart, essentially hoping that some English team will drop from the sky with a solid bid for him.
Huntelaar, who is 25, has been one of the major prospects in footballing circles for two or three years now, so it was huge when he finally headed to Madrid in January. He didn't fit in right away, however, scoring eight goals in 20 appearances, a solid output but not quite what was expected of him. Huntelaar could play at any club in the world and would be an ideal target man to work with Jermaine Defoe and receive crosses from the scintillating Aaron Lennon.
Tottenham are reportedly putting together a deal for him and, hopefully, it's enough to get the job done. There is some concern that Arsenal could hijack the deal if they sell Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City in the coming days, but Arsene Wenger seems to be more interested in Marouane Chamakh, in part due to the Bordeaux striker's much lower price tag and strikingly similar skill set.
Bringing in Huntelaar and Negredo, which Redknapp should definitely try to accomplish, would mean the end of Darren Bent and Roman Pavyulchenko (and possibly Robbie Keane, again) at White Hart Lane, but Huntelaar in particular has been discussed as the "first big guy" type of signing, the respected player who changes the way a club is perceived amongst the footballing world. (If this move somehow works out, I'll write about this more extensively.)
Harry should do everything he can to buy both Huntelaar and Negredo, as both players receive the kind of respect that Spurs are hoping to work their towards in the near future, hopefully as soon as August 15th.
Madrid reportedly need to sell at least five players before they go on another spending spree, and Spurs are reportedly interested in both the strikers and winger Arjen Robben.
Negredo appears to be the closest to a deal, as there are reports emanating out of Spain that suggest that the deal with the Spaniard could actually be completed by the weekend. Negredo, who many Madrid fans feel could be the next great Spanish footballer, has spent the last two seasons with Alemeria, where he scored 32 goals in 70 appearances.
The 23-year-old had been linked to Liverpool earlier in this window as a makeweight for Xabi Alonso, but the Anfield club seem to be more interested in receiving a massive sum for the midfielder than a striker.
The Daily Mail suggests that Tottenham's bid for Negredo means that Redknapp thinks he is losing out to Stuttgart for the signing of Huntelaar, but that is not necessarily the case.
Stuttgart have had a bid (believed to be €15.5 million) accepted for Huntelaar, but the ex-Ajax man doesn't seem particularly thrilled about heading to the relative backwater of Germany, even if it does mean Champions League football. Instead, Huntelaar has been stalling on the move by delaying talks with Stuttgart, essentially hoping that some English team will drop from the sky with a solid bid for him.
Huntelaar, who is 25, has been one of the major prospects in footballing circles for two or three years now, so it was huge when he finally headed to Madrid in January. He didn't fit in right away, however, scoring eight goals in 20 appearances, a solid output but not quite what was expected of him. Huntelaar could play at any club in the world and would be an ideal target man to work with Jermaine Defoe and receive crosses from the scintillating Aaron Lennon.
Tottenham are reportedly putting together a deal for him and, hopefully, it's enough to get the job done. There is some concern that Arsenal could hijack the deal if they sell Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City in the coming days, but Arsene Wenger seems to be more interested in Marouane Chamakh, in part due to the Bordeaux striker's much lower price tag and strikingly similar skill set.
Bringing in Huntelaar and Negredo, which Redknapp should definitely try to accomplish, would mean the end of Darren Bent and Roman Pavyulchenko (and possibly Robbie Keane, again) at White Hart Lane, but Huntelaar in particular has been discussed as the "first big guy" type of signing, the respected player who changes the way a club is perceived amongst the footballing world. (If this move somehow works out, I'll write about this more extensively.)
Harry should do everything he can to buy both Huntelaar and Negredo, as both players receive the kind of respect that Spurs are hoping to work their towards in the near future, hopefully as soon as August 15th.
Spurs beat Everton to Sheffield defense duo
Harry Redknapp's first summer signings seem to have finally (unofficially) occurred today and, surprise, they weren't the Real Madrid strikers that Spurs have been linked so heavily to over the past few days.
Instead, it was Sheffield United defenders Kyle Walker and Kyle Naugton for a combined £8 million, with Walker being loaned to the Blades for the upcoming season.
Everton had been in competition with Tottehnam, particularly for Naughton, as the Goodison Park club had the first offer (believed to be around £5 million) accepted for the player, but then Redknapp swooped with the higher bid and, evidently after some discussion, Naughton (who received the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this summer) and Walker came to terms with Spurs and agreed to the switch.
Naugton is a 20-year old defender who primarily plays at right back. This is an issue because Spurs already have Vedran Corluka, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda and Chris Gunter at the position. (Even though 19-year-old Gunter has been loaned back to Nottingham Forest, where he impressed last season.) Redknapp is believed to have been interested in Naughton because he has had some experience at left back out of the past season, although he was more there out of necessity than because he showed any particular aptitude for the position.
While Naughton is an excellent young player, the eventual gem of the deal could be Kyle Walker, who can play at both right back and center back. Redknapp likely sees Walker as a long-term replacement for either Ledley King or Michael Dawson, with some rumors swirling around Dawson recently and King entering the final year of his contract.
19-year-old Walker, who starred in Sheffield's final four games last season, will return to Sheffield on loan initially, aiding both club's and likely the player's development.
This could be an excellent deal for Tottenham as they are buying two highly rated young players in one fell swoop, but one player will likely see a fair amount of competitive play right from the start of his time at White Hart Lane while the other will continue to grow and develop in order to contribute next season.
It's not the type of headline signing that the supporters have been waiting for, but 'Arry's first step into the transfer market could prove a fruitful one.
Instead, it was Sheffield United defenders Kyle Walker and Kyle Naugton for a combined £8 million, with Walker being loaned to the Blades for the upcoming season.
Everton had been in competition with Tottehnam, particularly for Naughton, as the Goodison Park club had the first offer (believed to be around £5 million) accepted for the player, but then Redknapp swooped with the higher bid and, evidently after some discussion, Naughton (who received the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this summer) and Walker came to terms with Spurs and agreed to the switch.
Naugton is a 20-year old defender who primarily plays at right back. This is an issue because Spurs already have Vedran Corluka, Alan Hutton, Pascal Chimbonda and Chris Gunter at the position. (Even though 19-year-old Gunter has been loaned back to Nottingham Forest, where he impressed last season.) Redknapp is believed to have been interested in Naughton because he has had some experience at left back out of the past season, although he was more there out of necessity than because he showed any particular aptitude for the position.
While Naughton is an excellent young player, the eventual gem of the deal could be Kyle Walker, who can play at both right back and center back. Redknapp likely sees Walker as a long-term replacement for either Ledley King or Michael Dawson, with some rumors swirling around Dawson recently and King entering the final year of his contract.
19-year-old Walker, who starred in Sheffield's final four games last season, will return to Sheffield on loan initially, aiding both club's and likely the player's development.
This could be an excellent deal for Tottenham as they are buying two highly rated young players in one fell swoop, but one player will likely see a fair amount of competitive play right from the start of his time at White Hart Lane while the other will continue to grow and develop in order to contribute next season.
It's not the type of headline signing that the supporters have been waiting for, but 'Arry's first step into the transfer market could prove a fruitful one.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
So long Didier and more striker stuff
One drawn out transfer was finally completed today and another seems to be nearing its end, as Tottenham are finally officially beginning the clearing out that hopefully signals the beginning of a spending spree in the near future.
Midfielder Dider Zokora was finally sold to Sevilla earlier today for roughly €9 million. Zokora didn't play much this season, especially after Wilson Palacios came over from Wigan in the winter transfer window, but he was an important part of the Spurs' squad for most of his time in England.
Zokora, who came over from St. Etienne in 2006, never scored a goal for the Lilywhites but proved extremely valuable due to his versatility and defensive skills. He is the type of player who Spurs are going to need if they ever want to become a top 4 club, as teams like Manchester United and Liverpool essentially have two squads and Zokora would be an invaluable part on the second squad. Unfortunately, though, Spurs are looking to reduce their squad size and do not have the "distraction" of the UEFA Cup (or Euro League) next season. This is likely not a move that Tottenham will regret, but Zokora is a part who will always prove useful at the strangest times.
Here's wishing him the best of luck in Spain. I hope he shuts Christiano Ronaldo down at least twice a season.
As for how the sale affects the immediate future, it finally gives Harry Redknapp some money to maneuver in this transfer window. It may not, however, be the last sale this week, as Darren Bent looks like he may be close to a move.
According to the Sun, Blackburn's Sam Allardyce has his eye on Bent and Kenwyne Jones. Bent has now drawn the interest of both Blackburn and Sunderland and is expected to draw somewhere between £10 and £13 million on the market. It still seems as if he is more likely to head to the Stadium of Light, but if Redknapp could manufacture some haste on the part of the two interested parties he may cause a mini bidding war. It still looks unlikely, though, that Spurs are going to recoup the £16 million that they spent on Bent two seasons ago.
Bent proved to be a solid striker at Spurs, but hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of fans and, therefore, has required the constant label of "overrated." Bent does have a tendency to disappear at times, but he also scores some very important goals. He is a very good third or fourth striker to have and certainly valuable if he is on a team that expects to play a lot of games. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to really have a place on Tottenham's squad, at least for the next season, so he will be sold. (That's actually something that most of the players Redknapp is selling have in common-they are good players who just don't fit because Spurs are not likely to have as full of a schedule next year as they did this past year, when the managers did an awful job of balancing playing time.)
There are times that I like Bent and times that I hate him, but he is undoubtedly a useful player. Hopefully for the sake of everybody involved, this transfer, whether it be to Blackburn or to Sunderland. (And I would say Sunderland have the upper hand in part because of Blackburn's interest in Kenwyne Jones, in part because of their long term interest in Bent and in part because of the close relationship between Steve Bruce and 'Arry.)
The other rumor that emerged this week is that Redknapp is again interested in Manchester City's Craig Bellamy, a player he wanted in the winter transfer window. I'll keep this one short: Please, Harry, no. We do not need a player who spends 1/2 or more of every season injured and who has a history of being a polarizing figure in the locker room.
By the end of the week, Redknapp will have between £18 and £20 million to spend. Hopefully he begins to make some of the moves that we have been hearing about.
Midfielder Dider Zokora was finally sold to Sevilla earlier today for roughly €9 million. Zokora didn't play much this season, especially after Wilson Palacios came over from Wigan in the winter transfer window, but he was an important part of the Spurs' squad for most of his time in England.
Zokora, who came over from St. Etienne in 2006, never scored a goal for the Lilywhites but proved extremely valuable due to his versatility and defensive skills. He is the type of player who Spurs are going to need if they ever want to become a top 4 club, as teams like Manchester United and Liverpool essentially have two squads and Zokora would be an invaluable part on the second squad. Unfortunately, though, Spurs are looking to reduce their squad size and do not have the "distraction" of the UEFA Cup (or Euro League) next season. This is likely not a move that Tottenham will regret, but Zokora is a part who will always prove useful at the strangest times.
Here's wishing him the best of luck in Spain. I hope he shuts Christiano Ronaldo down at least twice a season.
As for how the sale affects the immediate future, it finally gives Harry Redknapp some money to maneuver in this transfer window. It may not, however, be the last sale this week, as Darren Bent looks like he may be close to a move.
According to the Sun, Blackburn's Sam Allardyce has his eye on Bent and Kenwyne Jones. Bent has now drawn the interest of both Blackburn and Sunderland and is expected to draw somewhere between £10 and £13 million on the market. It still seems as if he is more likely to head to the Stadium of Light, but if Redknapp could manufacture some haste on the part of the two interested parties he may cause a mini bidding war. It still looks unlikely, though, that Spurs are going to recoup the £16 million that they spent on Bent two seasons ago.
Bent proved to be a solid striker at Spurs, but hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of fans and, therefore, has required the constant label of "overrated." Bent does have a tendency to disappear at times, but he also scores some very important goals. He is a very good third or fourth striker to have and certainly valuable if he is on a team that expects to play a lot of games. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to really have a place on Tottenham's squad, at least for the next season, so he will be sold. (That's actually something that most of the players Redknapp is selling have in common-they are good players who just don't fit because Spurs are not likely to have as full of a schedule next year as they did this past year, when the managers did an awful job of balancing playing time.)
There are times that I like Bent and times that I hate him, but he is undoubtedly a useful player. Hopefully for the sake of everybody involved, this transfer, whether it be to Blackburn or to Sunderland. (And I would say Sunderland have the upper hand in part because of Blackburn's interest in Kenwyne Jones, in part because of their long term interest in Bent and in part because of the close relationship between Steve Bruce and 'Arry.)
The other rumor that emerged this week is that Redknapp is again interested in Manchester City's Craig Bellamy, a player he wanted in the winter transfer window. I'll keep this one short: Please, Harry, no. We do not need a player who spends 1/2 or more of every season injured and who has a history of being a polarizing figure in the locker room.
By the end of the week, Redknapp will have between £18 and £20 million to spend. Hopefully he begins to make some of the moves that we have been hearing about.
Rumor Roundup: EPL Version (7/8)
There has been a multitude of rumors and official movements concerning Tottenham targets or just affecting Spurs in the past 24 hours. Try to stick with me as I sort through them. This could take a little while.
Manchester United are now the favorites in the race to sign Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, as AC Milan to spend the money that they received from Madrid for Kaka on Sevilla's Luis Fabiano instead. Huntelaar was linked with Tottenham earlier in this transfer window, but everyone sort of knew that the move would never happen, as Huntelaar was pretty much in the same position as Karim Benzema (a young striker who all of the world's best teams want) until Madrid bought him in January and seemingly forgot about him. Huntelaar would be a very good fit for the Red Devils and could go a long way towards making Christiano Ronaldo (and his protracted transfer saga) fade into the past.
Another player who Spurs have been linked to several times in the past is Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson. The English U-21 midfielder is now being linked with Chelsea, the club that he seems destined to end up with. The reasoning, however, is the most interesting part in all of this, as Carlo Ancelotti reportedly realizes that he needs to prepare his squad for FIFA regulations concerning the number of English players there need to be on a squad. That probably doesn't affect Spurs too much yet (and Harry Redknapp seems to have a preference for English players anyways), but it could affect the way other teams approach the transfer window in the near future.
Wigan's Lee Cattermole has apparently caught the eye of Sunderland's Steve Bruce, no surprise considering that Bruce brought Cattermole to Wigan when he was the manager there last year. Bruce seems to have a fair amount of money to spend this summer and Cattermole would be a good fit on most sides in the EPL (Spurs reportedly wanted to link him back up with Wilson Palacios in the midfield). Bruce has been good at making something out of nothing in the past, so it will be interesting to see what he can do at Sunderland, where there already seems to be the beginning of something.
Blackburn apparently want strikers as bad as Tottenham do, but they are actually determined to make a move (unlike Spurs). The two players that they have seemingly targeted are Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent (a player Sunderland are also interested in). Jones, who Redknapp wanted during the winter window, reportedly will cost about £9 million, while Bent will probably run about £10 million (more on him in a later post, though). The only thing clearing up Jones' move to Blackburn is seemingly Bent's move to Sunderland. Blackburn are a club that always seem to just stay up and I see Sam Allardyce and Jones clashing if this transfer does go through, as Jones has a tendency to disappear at times. He is, however, also a very good player when he chooses to be, so it could be a very good fit if Allardyce can keep Jones motivated.
These moves all seem to have a fair amount of truth to them, as they (oddly) all make a good degree of sense. What does and doesn't happen, though, will inevitably be as strange as ever. Luckily, there are no Ronaldo (or Gareth Barry) transfers in this batch, even though the Johnson move has been rumored for about as long as that one was.
Manchester United are now the favorites in the race to sign Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, as AC Milan to spend the money that they received from Madrid for Kaka on Sevilla's Luis Fabiano instead. Huntelaar was linked with Tottenham earlier in this transfer window, but everyone sort of knew that the move would never happen, as Huntelaar was pretty much in the same position as Karim Benzema (a young striker who all of the world's best teams want) until Madrid bought him in January and seemingly forgot about him. Huntelaar would be a very good fit for the Red Devils and could go a long way towards making Christiano Ronaldo (and his protracted transfer saga) fade into the past.
Another player who Spurs have been linked to several times in the past is Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson. The English U-21 midfielder is now being linked with Chelsea, the club that he seems destined to end up with. The reasoning, however, is the most interesting part in all of this, as Carlo Ancelotti reportedly realizes that he needs to prepare his squad for FIFA regulations concerning the number of English players there need to be on a squad. That probably doesn't affect Spurs too much yet (and Harry Redknapp seems to have a preference for English players anyways), but it could affect the way other teams approach the transfer window in the near future.
Wigan's Lee Cattermole has apparently caught the eye of Sunderland's Steve Bruce, no surprise considering that Bruce brought Cattermole to Wigan when he was the manager there last year. Bruce seems to have a fair amount of money to spend this summer and Cattermole would be a good fit on most sides in the EPL (Spurs reportedly wanted to link him back up with Wilson Palacios in the midfield). Bruce has been good at making something out of nothing in the past, so it will be interesting to see what he can do at Sunderland, where there already seems to be the beginning of something.
Blackburn apparently want strikers as bad as Tottenham do, but they are actually determined to make a move (unlike Spurs). The two players that they have seemingly targeted are Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent (a player Sunderland are also interested in). Jones, who Redknapp wanted during the winter window, reportedly will cost about £9 million, while Bent will probably run about £10 million (more on him in a later post, though). The only thing clearing up Jones' move to Blackburn is seemingly Bent's move to Sunderland. Blackburn are a club that always seem to just stay up and I see Sam Allardyce and Jones clashing if this transfer does go through, as Jones has a tendency to disappear at times. He is, however, also a very good player when he chooses to be, so it could be a very good fit if Allardyce can keep Jones motivated.
These moves all seem to have a fair amount of truth to them, as they (oddly) all make a good degree of sense. What does and doesn't happen, though, will inevitably be as strange as ever. Luckily, there are no Ronaldo (or Gareth Barry) transfers in this batch, even though the Johnson move has been rumored for about as long as that one was.
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