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Peter Crouch is ready to sacrifice £1m a year for Spurs switch
Simon Johnson and James Olley21 Jul 2009
Tottenham are in pole position to sign Peter Crouch for £12million after Sunderland pulled out of the race for the Portsmouth striker.
Although the Black Cats offered Crouch £80,000 a week, he is so keen to be reunited with Harry Redknapp, who he worked with at Portsmouth and Southampton, that he is willing to take £20,000-a-week less to join Spurs.
Crouch wants to return to London — which gave Fulham some hope they could lure him — but it is understood Spurs are his No1 option and talks are set to begin on a deal which could be done within days.
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce said: “Naturally this is hugely disappointing for us as Peter was one of our primary targets. I know he was impressed with the set up here when he came for talks, but it's simply a matter of geographical location and that's not something we can affect.”
Spurs manager Redknapp wanted to sign Crouch in January but had to wait as Pompey weren't keen to sell six months ago because they were struggling to stay in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old began his career as a Spurs trainee but failed to make the first team and was sold to Queens Park Rangers for just £60,000.
With the futures of strikers Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko still uncertain, Spurs are also monitoring the availability of Real Madrid forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
The 25-year-old has been told he must decide today if he wants to join Stuttgart after the Germans agreed a £17m fee and personal terms nearly a week ago.
Huntelaar has angered Stuttgart by stalling over the deal as he is desperate for a move to the Premier League and is hopeful for a more concrete proposal from Spurs or Arsenal, who are seeking to replace Emmanuel Adebayor.
Spurs are also bracing themselves for a £10m bid from Aston Villa for midfielder Jermaine Jenas. Redknapp is thought to be reluctant to sell but needs to raise funds to remodel his squad before the start of next season.
Reader views (17)
Why are spurs always buying expensive prospects then offloading at a loss, prince kevin, gunter etc ican see bostock naughton being others
- Mary, London uk, 26/07/2009 08:27
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Crouch - eeaaawww! eeeaaawww ! Are you Tony Adams in disguise ?
- David, London, 23/07/2009 13:18
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Just when it all seemed like you were starting to see the light, Adrian pops up with another typical Big Club tm comment...fantastic!
You forgot Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka and The Baby Jesus, Adrian. All realistic targets for the Big Club tm.
- Stu, Beckton, 22/07/2009 08:29
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Until it happens I won't believe a word. Harry is upsetting the punters with some strange and very strange none moves. Glad I don't have to buy games tickets and can turn the telly off if they stink the ground out. 48 years and still looking for another championship, at this rate I had better start looking at life support for another 50 years.
- Colony John, Vancouver Canada, 22/07/2009 05:56
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come on you you spurs jimmy greaves ardiles gascoine klinsman surely not peter who
- J Windsor, LONDON ENGLAND, 21/07/2009 23:43
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No, thanks. Big punts to the giant cart horse up front - not exactly fun to watch.
- Col, London, 21/07/2009 21:35
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From Huntelaar to er...Crouch...oh dear ...bless him but Harry has'nt a clue in the transfer market. Top eight at beat.
- Sean, Cork, Ireland, 21/07/2009 21:28
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Put simply Crouch scored less goals than Bent last season. Our striking options are adequate, its the full-backs, left side of midfield and additional quality centre back to cover Ledley King that are desparately needed in order to move out of mid-table mediocrity to fight the top four, not forgetting the emerging Man City & decent teams such as Everton & Villa. I still cant believe the carnival that has gone on since we were on the brink of Champions League qualification with Martin Jol & have a funny feeling that more nonsense is to come next season with Daniel Levy still at the helm. I dont think Harry is the answer.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 21/07/2009 17:53
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We do not want that cart horse at Spurs. Whats Redknapp doing? Some of his transfer dealings have been pathetic.
- David, London, 21/07/2009 17:48
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He he, I think Crouch will do wonders at Spurs with Harry. Look what they done for the Saints....oops wait a moment!
- John Livermore, Bermondsey, 21/07/2009 16:37
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I dont want Crouch at all... I think he's a good player but not a top player and he will get 10 - 12 goals a season, which we have players who can do that now.
Keep the 4 as they are or if you have to sell bent then buy Huntelaar.
Young will not come to us, as I can't think why he'd even consider it when liverpool or man u would have him, so lets not go down that route.
The team played very well in the last 3 months of the season, so why not just leave it as it is....?
- Mark, St Albans, 21/07/2009 16:05
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Well my doubts about Harry continue, doesn't know a good quality player, waste money on bringing back players who didn't make it the 1st time, Bent and Pav scored more goals...come on Harry, maybe your missus might know how to buy a quality player.....
You need,Huntelaar, Sneijder, Veluso and Maxi rodriguez and riquelme....
they will get you in he top 4..
- Adrian, london, 21/07/2009 14:52
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Methinks the adorable Miss Clancy may have something to say about a move to Sunderland.
- Leonard Lillywhites, N.London, 21/07/2009 14:51
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Bob, I think you answered your own question there mate: He's going for people like Crouch because people like Huntelaar and Young won't be interested!
I don't like Spurs, but ol' Arry is slowly putting a good team together there. Crouch is a good player with a solid track record - I think he'd get a lot more respect if he wasn't so weird looking, (which is unfair considering he partakes in football matches, not beauty competitions...).
- John, London, 21/07/2009 11:33
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The bit about Crouch is a load of rubbish, I was watching Sky Sports News yesterday and the chief transfer reporter was saying yes Spurs are interested but it is Fulham who he wants to join, this is what his agent said. Why would you go to team where you probably going to ruin your chances of going to the world cup? Fulham makes much more sense for him, in West London, very close to his family, Europa league football, guaranteed first team football, and then pretty much guaranteed a place in Capello's World Cup squad for next Summer!
- Ciaran, London UK, 21/07/2009 10:52
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Dear god, please tell me you are kidding!? We don't want to be a remake of all his old teams! We want to be Spurs, the exciting, unpredictable version where you never know if you're going to win or lose horrendously! its what makes it fun! Daniel Levy, what the HELL where you thinking. Grovel and get Jol back.
- Rebecca, London, 21/07/2009 10:51
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I think Crouch will do well at Spurs, it's just a bit short sighted of Harry to keep going after the same players. He has good money at his disposal at Tottenham and should break the bank to get Huntelaar and Young............but they dont want to play for Spurs.
- Bob Masters, Hemel Hempstead UK., 21/07/2009 10:17
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