Big-spending Spurs eye late bid for Spain star Villa

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Head coach Juande Ramos is not satisfied with his squad despite having already seen around £46m worth of talent arrive in the form of Luka Modric, David Bentley, Heurelho Gomes, Giovani dos Santos and John Bostock.

He is determined to buy another striker, especially with Dimitar Berbatov expected to follow Robbie Keane out of White Hart Lane.

Target: Valencia's David Villa could finally make a move to the Premier League

The deal to sign Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St Petersburg is proving difficult and it seems the club are considering making a last-ditch bid to buy David Villa from Valencia instead.

Spurs have admired Villa for some time, but Valencia's asking price of more than £30m had scared them off.

However, no club have made a move for the Spain star so far and they haven't given up hope, particularly as money is available having recouped £37m in player sales in recent weeks.

Ramos is desperate to sign a centre half as captain Ledley King is not expected to be able to play regularly due to his old knee injuries while Younes Kaboul is set to leave.

That leaves only Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson to start most games with little cover in the squad.

The manager's plans for the defence haven't been helped by an ankle injury to right-back Alan Hutton, who could miss the start of the season.

Ramos is also looking at buying a defensive midfielder and is interested in Sporting Lisbon star Miguel Veloso.

But at least Darren Bent is showing the kind of form that convinced Spurs to sign him for £16.5m from Charlton last summer.

Bent scored his 10th goal of the pre-season in the 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund yesterday and is favourite to start up front against Middlesbrough in a fortnight.

Assistant manager Gus Poyet said: 'Darren has been on fire recently. We keep saying to him, "Don't spend all the goals in pre-season, keep a few for the season".

'But it is good. Strikers need to score goals. He didn't play a lot last year, but he is playing week in, week out now. He has been the best striker in pre-season. He has got a chance.'