Afternoon:
10°c
Harry now aiming for £20m striker Santa Cruz
Tom Collomosse29 Jan 2009
Harry Redknapp's desperation to sign a new striker could take Tottenham's spending this month through the £50million mark, with Blackburn forward Roque Santa Cruz (below) thought to be the club's latest target.
Redknapp has already spent £33m on Jermain Defoe, Wilson Palacios and Pascal Chimbonda, but remains desperate to bring in a powerful frontman to play alongside Defoe. He has already missed out on signing Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland, and has also seen a move for Brazilian striker Fred hit the buffers.
Santa Cruz, who is valued at £20m, is keen to leave Ewood Park and has already attracted bids from Manchester City.
Spurs have also enquired about bringing Robbie Keane back to White Hart Lane from Liverpool, but Redknapp is reluctant to include winger Aaron Lennon in the deal.
His attempt to sign Fred appears to be at an end, after the player's agent and brother denied Spurs' claim that Fred had failed to show up for transfer talks on Tuesday.
Rodrigo Chaves Guedes said: "Fred never said he would come to a meeting. Redknapp said he would come to see us in France last Sunday, but he did not. Then they suddenly wanted us to come to London on Monday. Fred wanted to go to Tottenham, but they let us down, so he will not be joining them. It is as simple as that."
Reader views (17)
good old harry? first defoe then chimbonda now keane.
dont bring all the drad wood back ,go get santa cruise
hes the new berba
- Darren Clarke, catford, 29/01/2009 18:19
Report abuse
Good ol Arry, he's always been great at spending other peoples' money. He's been like a kid in a sweet shop since he arrived at Spurs. Don't worry though, the first time he's told there's no more money left to spend and he's down to the "bare bones" of a 40 man squad costing £200mil and Spurs still aren't a top four club, he'll leave quicker than you can say Alexandre Gaydamak.
- Paul, london, 29/01/2009 15:49
Report abuse
Why spend more money on Santa? Pavlo has settled in now and playing well with Jermin. Strenthen other areas.
- Cormac, Whitstable Kent, 29/01/2009 15:39
Report abuse
"Well, people will probably say I'm mad to try and sign Santa Cruz, they said the same when I signed Di Canio for West Ham. They say that Santa only delivers in the run up to Christmas. but he could be just late present we need, for sure 'cos we're down to the bare bones, for sure"
H Redknapp, 10 minutes ago
- Joe Chapman, Romford, 29/01/2009 13:29
Report abuse
I take your point Rob Hotspurs but the deals Harry has done are not as overpriced or careless as the ones Comolli put together. We have needed a decent holding midfielder since Carrick left so 15m for Palacios is money we had to spend, Defoe is in the goals already and was another vital signing and i doubt Chimbo cost the earth. If the Santa Cruz deal is to be believed then it may be because it would be a player/s plus cash deal. Fred is unproven in the Prem while Santa Cruz is a reliable goal scorer. Along with the fact Bent could be shipped out in the deal makes it even more attractive. There seems to be this feeling that Harry is some old spiv to say Wenger or Benitez' professor like image which i don't buy. Yes he's a cockney, speaks his mind but so what? Does that make him a poor manager? This 'project' of a young team of the future at say Arsenal has no guarantee of coming to fruition and unless they challenge now they will see the likes of Fabregas and Van Persie slowly filter away from the club as they reach their mid 20's. That's the game now, it's a mixture of wheeling and dealing and of development, not just one or the other. I'm afraid the best example if this is Fergie and Utd. He paid 30m for Berbatov and 19m for Carrick. How can that be when we got Berb for 11m and Carrick for 3.5m? It shows we've bought our fair share of bargains and it also shows on Fergie's side that you pay your money, you get your man. Football is about the present as much as the future.
- Lillywhite London, North London, 29/01/2009 12:58
Report abuse
What a great idea MIke D
Bent will be perfect for Blackburn. Right up they're street.
- Glennda, Berkhamsted UK, 29/01/2009 12:53
Report abuse
Rob (Gunner) Horspurs is enjoying writing an article or two every day now for the past year or so.
He is the deluded one thinking he's a columnist for the ES.
Getting behind Harry's attempts to get the players he was stuck with, weeding out the chaff and introducing new blood is what all Spurs supporters want to see.
There's no good blaming Levy, Comolli or Ramos for what's history. Harry needs a chance to consolidate and build a skillful and stubborn team and I, for one, believe he can do it.
The day's when Mr Sugar was penny pinching and Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea were bringing in world class players while all the time we were buying nobody's is long gone and let's look forward.
Come on you Lillywhites.
- Kevin, North London, 29/01/2009 12:48
Report abuse
Rob, you referred to Tottenham the other day as "top four".
In that respect, I could not agree more with Jamie's post - and I'm a Hammer.
Far, FAR too many of you live in cloud cuckoo land.
- Stu, Beckton, 29/01/2009 12:38
Report abuse
I must admit the money we're spending and the amounts being touted around make me nervous. I hope Levy's got reliable financial advisors..
However the cost of relegation is so much more than £50m.
Santa Cruz would be a great partner for Defoe, and offer good competition for places up front - a much better option than re-signing Keane. Lets hope Allardyce will be tempted to take a cash + swap deal for Darren Bent. Then 2 problems sorted in one!
- Mike D, London, 29/01/2009 12:30
Report abuse
Give Harry, Joe and Kevin time. They know what they are doing, they are now as a group for the very first time at a club where, if they receive solid backing, they can show how good they really are. We can only benefit. Up the Spurs !
- Jim Mchale, Dublin, Ireland., 29/01/2009 12:20
Report abuse
Now im not sure if im an idiot or what but didnt spurs start the transfer window lookinf for a left sided player have they got one yet? can someone tell me if Fred Or santa cruz chimbonda defoe or carlo cudcini play left wing? Why is it that for the last 7 years or since Ginola spur chase everyone expept a left sided player?
I did say im we an idiot!!!!
- Bilal, Londoner, 29/01/2009 12:19
Report abuse
I have had a season ticket since 1957.So I have seen the brilliant the very good the poor and the very poor, I cannot get my head round the fact since 1962/63 season we have never looked like being champions I am nearly 65 will I ever see spurs even get into the top 4 or should I not hold my breath
- Alan Hammer, london, 29/01/2009 12:10
Report abuse
Rob nothing that you post on here will change things! all you are achieving is giving our rivals the fuel they need to ridicule and embarrass us.I think i can safely say most of us was very unhappy about the departure of martin jol and the dealings of comolli. As for dreaming yes i hope in the near future we will be a constant top 4 contender but to achieve this we must back our manager and give him the time he needs. Lets forget the past and concentrate on future with some positive support then we may achieve our dreams a bit quicker.
- Jamie, essex, 29/01/2009 12:06
Report abuse
Jamie - I appear to be the only realistic Tottenham fan, which doesnt mean Im disloyal or negative. I express my extreme concern at the sacking of Martin Jol, the employment of Comolli, installing Ramos despite not speaking English, selling off our best players & replacing them with extremely overpriced & overated ones, employing 'Harry', not top four material in my opinion, the financial mess Levy is in the process of creating. I have been proved correct continually & am just sad that having been on the brink of a top four place two seasons running, we are now facing a relegation battle & seem happy to be contending for the League & UEFA cups. When our real aims should be a top four place & a first ever Champions League qualifiaction. Doesnt it bother you that due to the mismanagement of our club since the mid 1980's we have seen our greatest rivals build a new stadium, new training facillities, win many trophies, have one of the worlds best managers & a youthful team in the process of being produced which will ensure future success. If the alternative is to live in your dream world, pretending we have any chance of matching the top 4 clubs, then I would rather be 'negative'. If you truly think spending £50 million on resigning Defoe, Chimbonda, Palacios & now Santa Crus is good for the future of the club then you are sadly deluded.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 29/01/2009 11:35
Report abuse
Well said Jamie, could not agree more..lets get behind the lads and not pile the misery and negativity on everything that is being done.. Harry is obviously trying to put his own stamp on the team as he has clearly seen like most of the true fans that most of the team are not up to it..if it has to be done by spending a few quid then so be it,the money IS clearly available to do it....and staying in the prem is a must with the money around which greatly pays for large fees and wages...to add to that Santa Cruz is a top proven striker who has a good record in the Prem....come on u spurs.
- Tom, uxbridge, 29/01/2009 10:57
Report abuse
`Right' said Fred. Fair enough, we move on. Come on you Spurs!
- Ted, London, 29/01/2009 10:45
Report abuse
Lets see how long it takes for R HOTSPURS to grace us with his negative support.
In times like these we as supporters should get behind our club and not knock them at every opportunity that you get.
- Jamie, essex, 29/01/2009 10:32
Report abuse
