Tottenham Transfer News: Latest on Eden Hazard and Moussa Sissoko Rumours
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has revealed he once came close to signing Chelsea winger Eden Hazard. Redknapp also indicated he considered trying to bring then-Liverpool striker Luis Suarez to north London.
Speaking to TalkSport (h/t Joel Watson of the Daily Star), Redknapp revealed the extent of Tottenham's interest in both players:
"I was managing a Tottenham team I thought could go on and win the title, I genuinely believed that.
We got Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen on free transfers – we were short, we had injuries at centre-half and I had no striker.
If we had gone out [and invested] then... Luis Suarez was the player we were looking at.
I met [Eden] Hazard and spent three hours with him in a hotel in Paris – I met him at the airport and he was dead keen to come to Tottenham.
We were right down the road with Hazard and Luis Suarez was the best player in the Premier League when he was at Liverpool, he was fantastic.
If we just got one of those in, we had a team that could have challenged for the title.
"
Redknapp referencing the deals for both striker Louis Saha and centre-back Ryan Nelsen puts the timeframe of this interest in early 2012. Both players joined Tottenham at the conclusion of the winter transfer window that year.
The curious thing is Redknapp's Spurs were involved in a fairly typical tussle for a UEFA Champions League place with local rivals Arsenal during the 2011/12 season. Ironically, Tottenham would miss out on Champions League football the next season despite finishing fourth, one place behind Arsenal.
The irony is Chelsea denied Spurs a spot in Europe's premier club competition by winning the Champions League after beating Bayern Munich on penalties. It meant the Blues went into the Champions League ahead of Tottenham, even though they finished sixth in the Premier League at the end of the season.
Chelsea then beat Tottenham to the punch regarding Hazard in the summer. The Blues wrapped up a deal worth an initial £32 million for Hazard, who had been a star with Ligue 1 side Lille.
Even though Spurs were more competitive in the Premier League than both Chelsea and eighth-placed Liverpool that season, it's not certain Tottenham had the pulling power to really sign Hazard or Suarez.
The latter reached the 2012 FA Cup final with Liverpool, a trophy also claimed by Chelsea. But signing either or both Suarez and Hazard would have required substantial investment from Spurs.
Redknapp had the club fighting to become a regular fixture in the Premier League's top four. However, Tottenham still didn't look strong enough to win the level of trophies Chelsea were collecting at the time.
Hazard won a Premier League title with the Blues in 2015, while Suarez eventually claimed the Champions League with Barcelona. As good as they are, it's tough to believe either player could have inspired Spurs to similar success.
Serie A Duo Keen on Moussa Sissoko Loan
Moussa Sissoko only joined Tottenham on deadline day of this year's summer transfer window. Yet the French midfielder, who cost £30 million, is already being linked with a move away from north London in January.
Serie A duo Inter Milan and Juventus are reportedly keen on a possible loan move for Sissoko, per Italian source CalcioMercato.com. The report indicates Juve and Inter are joined by Everton, Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla in monitoring Sissoko's situation, but all suitors are wary of his hefty price tag.
So interested parties are hoping Spurs will agree to a loan in the winter transfer window.
The likelihood of Sissoko being allowed to leave appears quite strong since he's struggled mightily with life at Tottenham. In fact, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has even been critical.
Pochettino had some barbed words for the players not involved, including Sissoko, in the recent 2-1 Premier League defeat to leaders Chelsea, per BBC Sport: "Football is not about money. You need to show on the training ground you are better than another team-mate and you deserve to be involved."
Pochettino hasn't been an isolated voice in his criticism of ex-Newcastle United man Sissoko. Former Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton recently told BBC Radio 5 Live (h/t George Mills of the Daily Star): "Sissoko was a bad buy and [Mauricio] Pochettino is questioning him now."
Sissoko has certainly failed to deliver so far in his Spurs career. He's made just 10 appearances in domestic and Champions League action, failing to provide a single goal or assist, per WhoScored.com.
A loan move away may be the best thing for both player and club. Getting Sissoko confident and playing again could help Tottenham eventually salvage their major investment.
If not, then Spurs can use a loan to keep a talented but underachieving player in the shop window. It's something that could lead to Tottenham recouping some of what they spent on Sissoko.
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