Tottenham Hotspur: 5 Possible Replacements for Gareth Bale
By (Correspondent) on June 14, 2012
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Following the news that Harry Redknapp has left his post as manager of Tottenham Hotspur the club has entered a period of uncertainty.
Questions will be raised as to whether Tottenham can find and gel with a new manager quickly enough to mount a realistic Champions League charge next season.
With the news of Redknapp's departure and the failure of Tottenham to qualify for the Champions League —as a result of Chelsea's win over Bayern Munich—top names will be linked with moves away from White Hart Lane.
The most obvious name is Welsh wing wizard Gareth Bale, who is one of the world's most exiting players.
Here is a look at five players who could potentially replace Bale should he leave.
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Salomon Kalou
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After being released by Chelsea, Ivory Coast forward Kalou has attracted some interest, most notably from Liverpool.
The pacey winger has Champions League experience and knows the inner workings of the English game.
While he is more of an attack-minded player his pace and trickery would see him fit the Tottenham mould well.
Kalou can be a little hot and cold, but the confidence that comes with regular football could see him play the exiting game that we have seen glimpses of throughout his career.
Kalou is a long-shot but certainly cannot be ruled out, I for one would love to see a team boasting Aaron Lennon on the right and Kalou on the left.
I believe Kalou is a weaker option on this list however should Tottenham want to play it safe and not break the bank they may opt to snake Liverpool for his signature.
Michel Bastos
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Brazilian Michel Bastos was heavily linked to Tottenham last year and Bale's potential departure could see a transfer speculation reignite.
Currently at Lyon, Bastos has played for his country ten times and scored once.
Tottenham could see Bastos as a gamble, as he is 28 and has no experience in English football.
That being said, he has been playing regularly in France and has become known for his pace and ball-skills.
Having a Brazilian in the team could also add some colour to a Tottenham midfield that would be somewhat depleted by the loss of Welshman Bale.
I believe Michel Bastos should be signed after other options have been exhausted, the French and English games are different and there is a chance that Bastos could be rattled by some of the more seasoned Premier League defenders.
Certainly not a bad option, but not the first.
Danny Rose
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While Bale will need to be replaced, this does not necessarily mean that Tottenham will have to bring a new face in.
Rose has shown a love for exciting football and a lack of fear that suggest he will one day be an amazing talent.
While relying on such a young and inexperienced player to fill such massive boots would be risky stranger things have happened in the football world.
Overall Rose has an outside chance, but one that will certainly be considered. He has already established himself in Tottenham history after his stunning strike against bitter rivals Arsenal.
Tottenham have a tradition of bringing through young English players e.g. Aaron Lennon and Tom Huddlestone so Rose would be playing alongside established team-mates that have been similarly "bumped up".
In my opinion Rose represents a very large gamble, however if he struggles there is enough depth in the Tottenham squad to cover until a suitable replacement can be found.
Arjen Robben
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If Tottenham plans to continue their evolution to a Champions League side they need to attract players of the calibre of Arjen Robben.
Robben has just come off a heartbreaking Champions League defeat to Chelsea and may seek fresher pastures next season.
Currently representing his country at Euro 2012, Robben would be joining team-mate Rafael Van der Vaart should he consider a switch to Spurs.
Robben is one of the few players that could come close to Bale on speed and has already had both Champions League and Premier League experience.
Age and his proneness to injury could deter Tottenham, however his ability and experience count towards him.
I personally believe Robben would be a good signing as he would bring a wealth of experience to a team that could potentially be reeling from the loss of a manager and star player.
Adam Johnson
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With a first-team place at Manchester City seemingly elusive to young winger Adam Johnson, he will surely use the transfer window to find regular football.
After missing out on Euro 2012 Johnson needs to be playing weekly in order to continue his development as the most exiting left-footed prospect in English football.
Unlike Arjen Robben, Adam Johnson still hopefully has the best football of his career to come.
Tottenham would give Johson regular football at a good club and would allow him to link up with England internationals Michael Dawson, Scott Parker, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe.
Johnson would surely favour a move to Tottenham over Sunderland as it would allow him to continue to strive for Champions League football and test himself at the top level.
With regular football Adam Johson could overtake Stewart Downing and battle Chamberlin for a starting birth in the national side.
Of all the options I believe Adam Johson is the most sensible for both parties.
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