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.
Friday, July 17, 2009
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.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Pav saga continues and Keane rumors begin anew
Roman Pavlyuchenko has been linked with clubs as big as Chelsea and clubs like Turkey's Besiktas. He has been linked with Stuttgart and Roma and, now, just to ensure that one team in every country is interested in him, he has been linked with Villarreal.
The Russian striker, who some perceive as having flopped in his first season at White Hart Lane (a ridiculous presumption, considering that he had basically been playing for two straight years and was just adjusting to the EPL), has reportedly drawn the interest of the Big Yellow.
The thinking is that Spurs don't want to lose money on Pav, meaning that they are looking to recoup the transfer fee that they paid for him, which is pricey when one considers that Tottenham paid more for Pav than Arsenal paid for his national team strike partner, Andrei Arshavin. If Harry Redknapp knows what he wants to do with the money coming in, great, Tottenham should sell Pav as soon as possible and buy a replacement striker. If not, they should hang on to him, as the Russian could very well prove to be the target man that Spurs seem to be desperately searching for in this transfer window.
Tottenham should be very wary about selling Pavyluchenko, as he was probably at his absolute worst last season (new language, team in turmoil, constant playing leading to fatigue, changing strike partners, different style of play . . . the reasons just go on) and could develop into an excellent Prem striker yet. In fact, I would bet that if Pav plays next season next to either Robbie Keane or Jermaine Defoe, he excels.
In the same vein, Keane has already been linked to Sunderland and now Aston Villa have reportedly registered an interest in the Spurs captain. There probably isn't very much to this rumor, as Redknapp has reportedly already prevented Sunderland's Steve Bruce from making a bid for Keane. It does beg the question, however, when and if the Spurs-Aston Villa swap machine is ever going to go in motion, with Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley being linked to Villa, and Ashley Young and Nigel Reo-Coker have been linked to Spurs. It may never begin, but even if it does I wouldn't expect to see Keane's name involved in the eventual dealings. Despite his inability to find the net after returning from his ill-fated time at Anfield, Keane did show himself to be a difference maker on the pitch during his time at the Lane.
Also, Spurs' pursuit of Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong appears over, as the Frenchman reportedly was demanding too high of wages. This may be a good thing, as players who play well for bad teams don't always play well for good teams. (I know, it's bizarre logic. Just think of a mediocre actor surrounded by terrible actors on a soap opera and that same actor surrounded by stars in a big budget movie. That actor is going to disappear in the movie but be notable in the soap opera.) Bassong needs at least one more year in the Prem before a team like Spurs considers paying him high wages, especially when Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are already two of their highest earners. Let Arsenal or Man City spend their money on Bassong.
In other news . . .
Interestingly, Chelsea phenom Michael Mancienne, who played in the EPL last season at the age of 21, is potentially going to be on the block, with clubs like Wolves and Reading showing the most interest so far. If Mancienne really is available, Redknapp should go after him, as he is one of the most touted young talents in all of England and definitely represents a better long-term solution to the defense issue than Richard Dunne, who has repeatedly been linked to Spurs.
In other news around the Prem, Fergie is stepping up his interest in Sergio Aguero, Athletico Madrid's star Argentinian striker who would be a superstar if he ever suited up for the Red Devils. A part of me hopes that this actually happens, as Aguero is one of the most underrated players in the world right now and would receive the notoriety that he deserves if he moved to Manchester United.
Also, Arsenal are beginning to look like players in this transfer window, as Arsene Wenger has registered interest in Karim Benzema AND Franck Ribery, two of the biggest target of this window. The notoriously thrifty Wenger is apparently looking to change his ways, particularly if he sells Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan, as has been rumored in recent weeks. This is scary for Spurs fans worldwide. Fortunately, Wenger will be successful in neither pursuit. (Benzema likely won't move this summer and Ribery will end up at Real Madrid.)
Frazier Campbell, meanwhile, is set to join Steve Bruce at Sunderland after a protracted negotiation where it looked like the player wasn't very interested in the team. Campbell, who spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane, showed flashes of brilliance at times and could develop into a very good Jermaine Defoe-esque striker, particularly under that tutelage of Bruce, who seems to develop young players better than most managers in England.
Nothing too fascinating for Spurs today. Hopefully Harry Redknapp gets moving on this transfer market, as the players will begin to fly at some point and I'd much rather Tottenham be a buyer than a spectator.
The Russian striker, who some perceive as having flopped in his first season at White Hart Lane (a ridiculous presumption, considering that he had basically been playing for two straight years and was just adjusting to the EPL), has reportedly drawn the interest of the Big Yellow.
The thinking is that Spurs don't want to lose money on Pav, meaning that they are looking to recoup the transfer fee that they paid for him, which is pricey when one considers that Tottenham paid more for Pav than Arsenal paid for his national team strike partner, Andrei Arshavin. If Harry Redknapp knows what he wants to do with the money coming in, great, Tottenham should sell Pav as soon as possible and buy a replacement striker. If not, they should hang on to him, as the Russian could very well prove to be the target man that Spurs seem to be desperately searching for in this transfer window.
Tottenham should be very wary about selling Pavyluchenko, as he was probably at his absolute worst last season (new language, team in turmoil, constant playing leading to fatigue, changing strike partners, different style of play . . . the reasons just go on) and could develop into an excellent Prem striker yet. In fact, I would bet that if Pav plays next season next to either Robbie Keane or Jermaine Defoe, he excels.
In the same vein, Keane has already been linked to Sunderland and now Aston Villa have reportedly registered an interest in the Spurs captain. There probably isn't very much to this rumor, as Redknapp has reportedly already prevented Sunderland's Steve Bruce from making a bid for Keane. It does beg the question, however, when and if the Spurs-Aston Villa swap machine is ever going to go in motion, with Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley being linked to Villa, and Ashley Young and Nigel Reo-Coker have been linked to Spurs. It may never begin, but even if it does I wouldn't expect to see Keane's name involved in the eventual dealings. Despite his inability to find the net after returning from his ill-fated time at Anfield, Keane did show himself to be a difference maker on the pitch during his time at the Lane.
Also, Spurs' pursuit of Newcastle's Sebastien Bassong appears over, as the Frenchman reportedly was demanding too high of wages. This may be a good thing, as players who play well for bad teams don't always play well for good teams. (I know, it's bizarre logic. Just think of a mediocre actor surrounded by terrible actors on a soap opera and that same actor surrounded by stars in a big budget movie. That actor is going to disappear in the movie but be notable in the soap opera.) Bassong needs at least one more year in the Prem before a team like Spurs considers paying him high wages, especially when Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King are already two of their highest earners. Let Arsenal or Man City spend their money on Bassong.
In other news . . .
Interestingly, Chelsea phenom Michael Mancienne, who played in the EPL last season at the age of 21, is potentially going to be on the block, with clubs like Wolves and Reading showing the most interest so far. If Mancienne really is available, Redknapp should go after him, as he is one of the most touted young talents in all of England and definitely represents a better long-term solution to the defense issue than Richard Dunne, who has repeatedly been linked to Spurs.
In other news around the Prem, Fergie is stepping up his interest in Sergio Aguero, Athletico Madrid's star Argentinian striker who would be a superstar if he ever suited up for the Red Devils. A part of me hopes that this actually happens, as Aguero is one of the most underrated players in the world right now and would receive the notoriety that he deserves if he moved to Manchester United.
Also, Arsenal are beginning to look like players in this transfer window, as Arsene Wenger has registered interest in Karim Benzema AND Franck Ribery, two of the biggest target of this window. The notoriously thrifty Wenger is apparently looking to change his ways, particularly if he sells Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan, as has been rumored in recent weeks. This is scary for Spurs fans worldwide. Fortunately, Wenger will be successful in neither pursuit. (Benzema likely won't move this summer and Ribery will end up at Real Madrid.)
Frazier Campbell, meanwhile, is set to join Steve Bruce at Sunderland after a protracted negotiation where it looked like the player wasn't very interested in the team. Campbell, who spent last season on loan at White Hart Lane, showed flashes of brilliance at times and could develop into a very good Jermaine Defoe-esque striker, particularly under that tutelage of Bruce, who seems to develop young players better than most managers in England.
Nothing too fascinating for Spurs today. Hopefully Harry Redknapp gets moving on this transfer market, as the players will begin to fly at some point and I'd much rather Tottenham be a buyer than a spectator.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Tottenham reach bottom as Palacios interest is endangered
The Harry Redknapp honeymoon is absolutely, unequivocally over at White Hart Lane. Thanks to West Brom's 3-0 defeat of Middlesbrough today, Spurs are now bottom of the table.
To add insult to injury, Manchester United and Manchester City have both reportedly made a bid for Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios, a player whom Redknapp covets. It is believed that United may try to outbid Spurs in part as payback for the way that Daniel Levy handled the Dimitar Berbatov negotiations in August. And City, well, they have more money than they know what to do with right now, and they seem to plan to spend a fair amount of it in this January transfer window.
Palacios would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' midfield, and if 'Arry wants the deal to be completed to his advantage, he needs to finish it as soon as possible, namely before tomorrow's fixture against Pompey. Otherwise, he risks the lure of playing for top-of-the-table United or the moneybags that City will undoubtedly throw at him snatching Palacios from under his thumb.
This transfer window has been ridiculously frustrating for Spurs, as they have had all of their interest in players rebuffed outside of that for Jermain Defoe. First it was Stewart Downing, then it was Craig Bellamy (who seems as if he'll end up coming to Spurs anyways as a result of potentially shady dealings) and then it was Kenwyne Jones. The thing is that there is entirely too much talking being done by and about Spurs' potential transfers and not enough that are actually being completed.
The team undoubtedly needs help in the form of new players. It remains to be seen whether they'll receive it.
To add insult to injury, Manchester United and Manchester City have both reportedly made a bid for Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios, a player whom Redknapp covets. It is believed that United may try to outbid Spurs in part as payback for the way that Daniel Levy handled the Dimitar Berbatov negotiations in August. And City, well, they have more money than they know what to do with right now, and they seem to plan to spend a fair amount of it in this January transfer window.
Palacios would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' midfield, and if 'Arry wants the deal to be completed to his advantage, he needs to finish it as soon as possible, namely before tomorrow's fixture against Pompey. Otherwise, he risks the lure of playing for top-of-the-table United or the moneybags that City will undoubtedly throw at him snatching Palacios from under his thumb.
This transfer window has been ridiculously frustrating for Spurs, as they have had all of their interest in players rebuffed outside of that for Jermain Defoe. First it was Stewart Downing, then it was Craig Bellamy (who seems as if he'll end up coming to Spurs anyways as a result of potentially shady dealings) and then it was Kenwyne Jones. The thing is that there is entirely too much talking being done by and about Spurs' potential transfers and not enough that are actually being completed.
The team undoubtedly needs help in the form of new players. It remains to be seen whether they'll receive it.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Worst Rumor
In a continuing story, the newest rumor is that Harry Redknapp is going to buy Stewart Downing from Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough club for £4 million, midfielder Jamie O'Hara and defender Gareth Bale. This move would be, quite simply, the worst transfer that Spurs could make in this window.
1. Downing really isn't that good. Yes, Downing has skill and yes he's fast, but Tottenham already has Aaron Lennon and David Bentley to man its wings. It would be nice to give one of them a break, but adding Downing to the side isn't absolutely essential, and overpaying for him is dead wrong.
2. O'Hara has been finding his form as of late. The young midfielder was one of four Spurs players who played well against Spartak Moscow on Thursday, creating chances and holding the ball well. If he is allowed to mature in a midfield next to Tom Huddlestone and Lennon, Spurs could be set in three positions for a long time to come.
3. Bale, when healthy, is one of the best prospects in the Premier League. For six matches at the start of the 2007/2008 season, Bale stood out. Then he suffered a bad injury that he is still trying to recover from. When he regains his form, Bale is going to once again be a very important part on the left side of Tottenham's defense. Plus his corners and free kicks are better than Bentley's right now.
Basically, this rumor (which is probably rubbish anyways) means that Spurs would be trading two major parts of their future for one solid player right now. And that would be a huge mistake
1. Downing really isn't that good. Yes, Downing has skill and yes he's fast, but Tottenham already has Aaron Lennon and David Bentley to man its wings. It would be nice to give one of them a break, but adding Downing to the side isn't absolutely essential, and overpaying for him is dead wrong.
2. O'Hara has been finding his form as of late. The young midfielder was one of four Spurs players who played well against Spartak Moscow on Thursday, creating chances and holding the ball well. If he is allowed to mature in a midfield next to Tom Huddlestone and Lennon, Spurs could be set in three positions for a long time to come.
3. Bale, when healthy, is one of the best prospects in the Premier League. For six matches at the start of the 2007/2008 season, Bale stood out. Then he suffered a bad injury that he is still trying to recover from. When he regains his form, Bale is going to once again be a very important part on the left side of Tottenham's defense. Plus his corners and free kicks are better than Bentley's right now.
Basically, this rumor (which is probably rubbish anyways) means that Spurs would be trading two major parts of their future for one solid player right now. And that would be a huge mistake
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