Peter Crouch completes Harry Redknapp’s strike-force

Not only does the transfer reunite Crouch with former Portsmouth boss Redknapp but also sees the 28-year-old again link up with Defoe after their successful partnership at Fratton Park. Redknapp, who is in China for the Barclays Asia Trophy, which gets under way tomorrow, is delighted with the options he now has in attack.

"Crouch gives us a bit of a different option," said the Spurs boss. "We now have four top strikers which is what you need at every club and so I am delighted to have Crouchy.

"He is different to almost anyone else in the League in terms of his size and the way he plays the game, so I am pleased to have him. With him, Keane, Defoe and Pavlyuchenko we have a good strike-force."

Redknapp said he thought Bent was "close to doing a deal with Sunderland" having been given permission to talk to the Wearsiders last night.

Signing Crouch appears to have accelerated Bent's departure, as Redknapp was told at the end of last season that he would have to sell before he could buy new players.

It is thought Spurs will receive around £12m for the striker, who cost £16.5m from Charlton in 2006.

Bent scored 17 times last season but had been keen to leave since it became clear midway through the campaign he was not part of Redknapp's long-term plans.

With Redknapp now happy with his options up front he may now switch his attention to a defence which has been ravaged by injuries in pre-season.

Injury-plagued Jonathan Woodgate is suffering from a groin problem while Michael Dawson damaged his Achilles and will miss the start of the season.

That leaves Redknapp's options limited with skipper Ledley King yet to kick a ball this summer while Pascal Chimbonda and Dorian Dervite struggled in central defence in the 2-0 defeat to Celtic in the Wembley Cup at the weekend.

"The defence has not improved," said Redknapp, whose side face West Ham tomorrow. "We obviously have the injuries. Jonathan Woodgate has gone to America to see about his injury while Michael Dawson had an injection in his Achilles tendon.

"Hopefully he will be fit in about four weeks but it means he will miss the start of the season and therefore we are very much relying on Ledley."