Tonight:
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Spurs ditch Bent
Andrew Hodgson, Evening Standard15 Jan 2008
Tottenham have told Darren Bent he can leave but are insisting on recouping the £16.5million they paid Charlton for him in the summer.
The striker has scored only three goals in 14 League appearances and was offered to Middlesbrough in Spurs' attempts to prise Stewart Downing away from Teesside.
Boro chairman Steve Gibson is holding out for a straight cash deal and will not sell the England winger for less than £12m.
Juande Ramos has already told Jermain Defoe that he can leave and Lyon's Brazilian striker Fred has claimed that Spurs want to sign him as a replacement.
West Ham have also been alerted to Bent's availability although Alan Curbishley's interest has now cooled after the striker turned down a move to Upton Park before joining Tottenham.
Spurs, who face Reading in their third round FA Cup replay tonight, made a bid of £8m for Downing on Sunday night but may now have to wait another week with his agent Ian Elliott leaving the country today.
He admitted the clubs are still no closer to agreeing a deal.
He said: "Stewart is very, very flattered by Tottenham's interest in him. They play the type of football he would like to be involved in.
"If the interest was firmed up he would be interested in talking to them, but we can't take it any further.
"It's between the two clubs. Once they have agreed a deal, we can look at it and see if it's something we want to do."
Meanwhile, right-back Pascal Chimbonda may be staying at White Hart Lane after all following the club's failure to sign Alan Hutton from Rangers. Chimbonda admitted he wanted to leave after hearing of Tottenham's pursuit of Hutton and Aston Villa were believed to be interested.
But Tottenham will not sell him until they have signed another right-back and there are no other targets at present.
While Bent is set to leave Spurs, another departure is likely to be winger Wayne Routledge. Queens Park Rangers have bid £1.8m for the 23-year-old although Spurs are holding out for £3m with Birmingham and West Brom also interested.
Routledge has failed to make an impact at White Hart Lane, starting just three games since he made the move from Crystal Palace three years ago.
