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Spurs on verge of glory, says Woody
Simon Johnson, Evening Standard29 Jan 2008
Jonathan Woodgate today revealed he moved to Tottenham because of his desire to join the Juande Ramos revolution and help bring trophies to White Hart Lane.
The defender completed his move from Middlesbrough in a deal worth up to £7.5million yesterday and signed a three-and-a-half year contract worth around £55,000-a-week.
The 28-year-old, who is eligible to play in the UEFA Cup and the Carling Cup Final for Spurs, rejected the chance to rejoin Newcastle and was also linked with a move to Arsenal.
But Woodgate insists he always wanted to join Tottenham, having seen Ramos make a huge impact in the three months he has been at the club.
He said: "I am delighted to come to Tottenham. I was given the chance to talk to the club and coming here is what I wanted to do from the start.
"I know this is a good club and is going forward with the new manager. Spurs have a lot of exciting players and the club have a great future.
"The manager is excellent and won lots of things with Sevilla. His Spanish is a bit more fluent than mine - but I can get by. Obviously I will try to speak to him in Spanish but it may be embarrassing for me!"
Woodgate has joined in time to make his debut for Ramos at Everton tomorrow night - if he can recover from a calf strain - and his arrival will strengthen a backline that looks set to be missing Ledley King, who is still troubled by his knee problems.
Brazilian international Gilberto has signed a contract until 2010 with Spurs after arriving from Hertha Berlin in a £2m deal, while Scotland defender Alan Hutton is still mulling over a move to White Hart Lane after Rangers accepted a bid of £7m for him.
Reader views (1)
Great news about Woodgate, though it's tempered somewhat by King's apparent problems. But more of the same is required, so let's hope that the Gilberto thing is not another `hoax' report, and that Hutton is acquired pronto.
- Ted, Shetland, 29/01/2008 12:26
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