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.