Tottenham ready to sign Ferdinand

The 22-year-old, who has been on Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli's wanted list for the past two years, has told friends he is planning to make the switch.

Spurs are desperate to strengthen their defence because of captain Ledley King's injury problems and they have set their sights on Ferdinand after another centre-half, Richard Dunne, indicated he will stay at Manchester City.

Ferdinand has been a member of West Ham's first-team squad for five years and was hugely impressive in his first season in the Premier League in 2005-06. Although his form has been more inconsistent since, Spurs are convinced he can thrive alongside Jonathan Woodgate as a central defensive partnership.

West Ham have previously signalled they are willing to listen to offers for Ferdinand with manager Alan Curbishley under pressure to cut the Upton Park wage bill this summer.

The move will be another sign of Spurs' active work in the transfer market. Having secured Croatia playmaker Luka Modric last month, they today completed the signing of Giovani dos Santos, while John Bostock will join from Crystal Palace once his fee is decided by a tribunal.

But, a more ambitious Spurs target, Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, today revealed he has no intention of switching from Spain to north London because the club are not successful enough. Eto'o said: "Spurs, and I hope the English fans will forgive me, are a club in mid-table and I need more."

The 27-year-old, who seemed certain to leave Barcelona this summer after falling out with the club last season, is also wanted by Chelsea.

But Eto'o is set to ignore both London clubs' advances and claims Inter Milan is his preferred alternative should he decide to quit the Nou Camp.

Spurs have had more joy with Eto'o's 19-year-old clubmate Dos Santos and head coach Juande Ramos is confident he will develop into a world-class player now that his transfer - in a deal worth up to £8.6m - has been completed.

Ramos said: "If Giovani progresses, he will be a more magnificent player." But Dos Santos' Mexico team-mate, the Arsenal striker Carlos Vela, reckons he is using his move as a stepping stone to greater things.

Vela, who has yet to appear for the Gunners after spending the last two seasons on loan at Celta Vigo, said: "I hope things go well for him at Spurs, that he gets to show what he can do.

"He is a very good player and let's hope that he can then move on to a better team."