Harry Redknapp made his first signing as Tottenham manager today by bringing Jermain Defoe back to White Hart Lane from Portsmouth for a fee of around £15M.
Spurs won't have to meet Portsmouth's asking price as Pompey still owe Tottenham £10m resulting from them signing Sean Davis, Pedro Mendes, Younes Kaboul, and Defoe from the White Hart Lane outfit.
Financially the deal is a good fit for both clubs. Spurs gain a player of international standard as they continue their fight on three cup fronts and their relegation battle, while Portsmouth have had a large debt wiped clear while adding £5m to their threadbare coffers.
Redknapp had met Portsmouth chairman Peter Storrie for a business lunch last week, where the Defoe deal was discussed for the first time, and although both clubs denied a deal had been made it would seem that Defoe going sick from training on Monday forced the deal through.
In an ironic twist, Spurs may have also tried to sign Sylvian Distin, Nico Krancjar, and Peter Crouch in a move that was similar to Redknapp raiding White Hart Lane a couple of seasons ago as at the time Portsmouth were battling against relegation.
Redknapp also confimed that Spurs are in negotiations with Stephen Appiah about the ex-Ghana captain joining Spurs. The Spurs boss tried to sign Appiah two seasons ago but Juventus were holding out for £14m, so Redknapp signed his Ghanaian teammate Sulley Muntari instead.
However, Appiah is now available as a free transfer after being released by Fenerbahce in August after a long-term knee injury. The ex-Juve, Brescia, and Parma player has been negotiating a release fee with the Turkish side since, and Redknapp now feels he could add some much needed steel to the Spurs midfield, as he feels the worst of his injuries are behind him.
Another player who appears to be making his way to North London in one way or another is Steve Finnan. The ex-Liverpool player moved to Espanyol for £2m in the summer but he has failed to settle in Barcelona and he has instructed his agent to find a team in the Premiership as the Catalan side are willing to let him go for £1.5m.
Enter Tottenham and Arsenal as his main suitors. Both clubs are in need of cover at the back and have earmarked Finnan as a short term stop-gap.
17 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment
john montgomory 6 months ago
I'm delighted to see Defoe back at Spurs and if they can get Downing the whole team will be transformed.
Who is this Appiah? Never heard of him.
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
I'm not as happy as yourself about Defoe John, I would have had a few preferences but I suppose beggars can't be choosers.
Steven Appiah was the captain of Ghana in 2006 and moved to Juve after impressing. He had a bit of an injury nightmare with one of his knees following his move to Fenerbache and he has been training at Spurs for the last week. Looks like he's a model to sign.
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agooner from goonerTV 6 months ago
Oh God, why oh why do you have to say that Arsenal and Spurs are chasing the same players, when they clearly or not.
We'll likely sign Arshavin, but you won't see any Arsenal article on B/R mention that Spurs were interested in him, since that was sooooo last summer.
I know Spurs can't go 2 seconds without ringing their hands in anguish over the position (financially, stylistically, hell, you name it) of their fiercest rivals, but I could give a flying toss who Spurs sign in January.
Especially since they pay more for the same player than they sold them for!
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
Where did I mention Arshavin?
Personally I don't really care about Arsenal's situation. They're a good team albeit in a mess at the moment with a good manager.
You are obviously not from the same little piece of Earth that I live in, over here Finnan is a target for both North London clubs.
I'm really not sure why you chose to comment on this article especially in such a childish way.
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agooner from goonerTV 6 months ago
I'm surprised you DIDN'T mention Arshavin, since every player you mentioned, Arsenal is APPARENTLY also interested in.
The point I was trying to make was, this article has absolutely nothing to do with Arsenal, but because you had to try and make the link, it gets tagged as such.
And I just didn't see the point.
And again, you have to say that Finnan is a target of BOTH clubs!
Why do you have to say Arsenal are interested in any potential Spurs signing, when they aren't!
I don't get it!
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
Why would I mention Arshavin if Spurs are not interested in signing him?
Stephen Appiah is on trial at White Hart Lane at the moment, as far as I'm aware Arsenal were never interested in Downing or Defoe or Appiah but I've read they are looking at Finnan, and Shay Given's solicitor released a statement last week stating his intention to leave St. James' so that is well documented.
You've obviously a problem with Spurs and Arsenal being linked with the same players and a chip on your shoulder the size of the Emirates.
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Maire Ofeire 6 months ago
Not trying to jump in the argument or take sides or anything Willie but I did untag this from the Arsenal section when I edited it as saying Arsenal are interested in Finnan doesn't warrant its place in the Arsenal section to be quite honest it is 99.99% about Spurs.
Arsenal are not interested in Given - Wenger said so last week, Kinnear told him to go away over a cup of tea.
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agooner from goonerTV 6 months ago
What I have is a problem with someone linking players to Arsenal when they aren't, and repeating their mistake over and over again for no good reason other than they are being lazy, sloppy, stupid, or worse.
But if you want to call that being 'idiotic' or 'childish', good luck to you.
I think I'll write another Spurs article to go along with the other 2 I've written.
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
I didn't link Given to Arsenal and Spurs, he did.
Nor did I link Finnan, the Liverpool Echo and The Evening Herald did that too.
As for the others, you're the only one who is doing the math there.
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agooner from goonerTV 6 months ago
God Willie, you are a first rate idiot.
You wrote in your article...
"Another player who appears to be making his way to North London in one way or another is Steve Finnan..... Enter Tottenham and Arsenal as his main suitors."
and now you claim that you aren't linking Finnan to Arsenal. You claim some papers have done that.
You wrote what you wrote, you should be man enough to admit that you just took what the papers said and took it as gospel. Now that someone comes along and calls you out for it, you get your knickers in a twist.
Grow up you twat.
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
Jaysus you are a first rate fool aren't ya.
If you are under 15 there is still time for you to gain some common sense, if you're over 15...
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Ziggy Mends 6 months ago
Stephen 'Tornado' Appiah is STILL captain of Ghana's national team, the Black Stars. He did not move to Juve after impreesing at the 2006 World Cup as you say. Rather, he was at Fenerbache.
For your information John, Appiah started his professional career in Ghanaian Premier League with Accra Hearts of Oak. He won the FIFA U-17 World Cup as a 15 year old with Ghana's U-17 team the Black Starlets at Ecuador in 1995 before moving to Parma in the Italian Serie A, where he earned the nick name "Il Tornado". Unfortunately, his carrer almost ended shortly after his move to Parma due to illness but thankfully, he recovered and earned a transfer to Brescia where he commanded first team appearances and benefitted from the encouragement and experience of the iconic Roberto Baggio and current Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. His performances at Brescia were so good, then Juve coach, Marcello Lippi paid top money to take him to the Stadio Dell'Api. Upon Lippi's appointment as manager of Italy's national team, the Azzurri, his replacement, Fabio Capello came with Emerson and other midfielders of his choice so Appiah was no longer a regular in the starting line-up at Juve. At the end of the 2004/05 season, Appiah moved to Fenerbache where he established himself as a fans favourite.
If you know Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari, you'll have to know that they and Appiah form probably the best midfield in African football. Indeed, in Ghana, Appiah is rated even higher than both Essien and Muntari. Essien, being at Chelsea, is rated as "big" but Appiah is the one rated as the "best". Indeed, he was Redknapp's first choice ahead of Muntari when 'Arry needed an enforcer at Pompey.
A carrer threatening injury, that was misdiagnosed or poorly treated by the doctors at Fenebarche is said to be the reason for the rift between the Tornado and the Turkish giants. He's been clubless since FIFA declared him a free agent and I think he'll bring a lot to Spurs. I see him forming a solid partnership with Zokora and Jenas in the heart of the Spurs set up.
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Willie Gannon 6 months ago
Thanks for the heads up Zig,
Appiah would be a good signing for Harry alright, but I think he'll replace Zokora who has never really played well during his time there.
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Ziggy Mends 6 months ago
I must add that Appiah also played for three years at Italian Serie A side, Udinese. That was actually his first club in Italy before his move to Parma. In all his seasons in the Italian Serie A, ie from 1997 2005 performed at a consistently high level and could do same for Spurs if he's signed.
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Willie Gannon 5 months ago
Thanks for the heads up Ziggy.
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John Mills 5 months ago
Appiah is an incredibly talented and deciplined player. He has played at a top level where ever he has been. Would be a great addition to Spurs
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Willie Gannon 5 months ago
He definitely sounds like he "was" really good, hopefully he might re capture his form, for whoever he signs for.
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