Tottenham Hotspur Summer Transfers: Top 10 Players to Sell
After missing out on fourth place and Champions League Football for 2011-12, Tottenham Hotspur must regroup, retool, and refocus to recapture the dream for next season.
Manager Harry Redknapp (assuming he stays with the club) and Chairman Daniel Levy have already put their collective feet down and asserted that absolutely none of the club's stars—including Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Rafael Van der Vaart, and Sandro—will be leaving. While supporters hold their breaths that these assertions prove true, they also look ahead to moves the club can make to free up payroll and add funds to the transfer purse.
The following 10 players could be bidding farewell to White Hart Lane this summer.
10. Robbie Keane: Forward
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As Keane winds down his career, his departure from the club he represented so admirably is imminent. His class in front of goal made him an effective striker, but his unwavering leadership made him the face of the team. He now deserves a chance to play, an opportunity which is not possible if he remains at White Hart Lane.
Keane could wind up staying at West Ham, helping the club rise from the relegation ashes to a return to the Premier League in 2012. He could also return to Scotland, where he played the second half of the 2010 season with Celtic. Wherever he goes, he will be missed and loved by Spurs fans.
9. David Bentley: Midfielder
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As beloved as Robbie Keane is in North London, Bentley is equally reviled. The “Next Beckham” has proven to have more in common with Becks' tempestuous personality than his brilliant right foot. He famously peeved Redknapp on numerous occasions, prompting the manager to seek out a loan club for Bentley in January despite the Tottenham's lack of depth on the wing. Soon after, the signing of Steven Pienaar signaled Bentley’s Spurs days were truly numbered.
Bentley, however, still holds tremendous value for lesser English clubs, as well as clubs in lower leagues, because he can take charge of a club’s service game and set pieces. Assuming Bentley stays in the Premier League, he could see a move to a club like Wigan, destined to sell their own unpredictable playmaker on the wing, Charles N’Zogbia.
8. Jamie O'Hara: Midfielder
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O’Hara played as important of a role in the Wolves staying up as any other player in Molineux through the final month of the past season. His strike moved Wolves within a goal of Blackburn, and actually was the only thread holding Wolves up for a time period on the league’s dramatic final day. O’Hara adds spirit and clever skill to any side in need, attributes Spurs have in spades already with their current roster. O’Hara has been with the team for six years, showing he has progressed just enough to stay around but not enough to warrant a starting spot in a top-six England side.
Wolves seem anxious to keep O’Hara, for reasons previously stated. He seems to have the perfect mentality for Wolves, a team not afraid to attack that is willing to work until their chests burst. O’Hara quickly could become a fan favorite with another season at Molineux.
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7. Wilson Palacios: Midfielder
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A defensive midfielder made of steel, Palacios has left more of a mark on opposing attackers' ankles and shins as he has on White Hart Lane's supporters. His take-no-prisoners style of tackling brought a much needed physical element to Spurs' play over the past couple of seasons in North London. He is, however, now seen as surplus, based mainly on the play of Brazilian starlet Sandro, who has stepped in to take over the dirty work in the midfield. Ironically, though, Palacios' most effective game this season was the 1-0 win in Milan where he was paired in midfield with Sandro.
Palacios has already stated his desire to move to Italy, in particular, Napoli. A chance to play in the Champions League again, along with the all-important promise of playing time (one that Spurs cannot make to the Honduran), will lure Palacios. Spurs will be happy to oblige and make back a good chunk of the money they spent on him in 2009.
6. Alan Hutton: Defender
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The rumors and innuendo surrounding Hutton’s volatile relationship with Redknapp, in many experts’ eyes, have facilitated the Scottish fullback’s imminent departure. Hutton is skilled in attack and represented himself quite well early this season, pairing with Aaron Lennon to create some excellent chances. He found himself on the bench soon thereafter, though, and talk began to swirl that he and Redknapp had a falling out. With Spurs expected to make changes along the entire back line this summer, Hutton seems the most logical first sale through the transfer window.
Hutton would fetch a solid price, possibly from an Italian side (Juventus have been rumored to be tracking him). This profit would allow Redknapp to re-invest in the defense, possibly to make a bold move for a highly rated right back, notably Liverpool’s Glen Johnson.
5. Sebastien Bassong: Defender
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Since joining Spurs two seasons ago after his Newcastle side was relegated to the Championship, Bassong has had moments of brilliance, confirming Spurs’ thought process in signing the Cameroon/France center back. Yet for every glimmer of stardom Bassong has had a puzzlingly prolonged absence from the starting 11. Bassong was on the bench for a large portion of the club’s matches, playing in only 12 Premier League games. He did, however, make an impact in a few Champions League games, scoring against Young Boys. Redknapp has also poked fun at him in the past, a not-so-subtle jab at Bassong’s lack of preparation. Those issues can be tolerated when Bassong is the best defender on his team—as he was with Newcastle—but not when he is fighting for a first-team spot.
The additional funds from selling Bassong will allow Spurs to replace him with another center back who will fit better with club. That player may be from another relegated squad, just like Bassong’s signing from Newcastle—Roger Johnson and Scott Dann of Birmingham have been linked to moves to Spurs.
4. Jermaine Jenas: Midfielder
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In contrast to some of the players previously listed, Jenas seems to be a favorite of his manager. Redknapp speaks highly of him and has trusted him in league games throughout this season, often on short weeks after Champions League games. Jenas has played well for Spurs in the past few seasons and is under contract until 2013. On the other hand, he finds himself as part of a congested central midfield, especially considering the meteoric rise of Sandro.
The main reason for offloading Jenas would be financial. He can fetch a hefty fee from a club looking for a dynamic, young central man. In fact, his previous club, Newcastle, could be interested in revitalizing their midfield and may be willing to use some of Andy Carroll's money to do so. This could line Spurs’ pockets a bit for a run at Charlie Adam if they so choose.
3. Jermain Defoe: Forward
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Another Jermain, another (former?) favorite of Redknapp’s. Defoe, until this season, has been a clinical finisher and deadly poacher in the Premier League. This year, however, he was the exact opposite. His misses in front of goal were astounding, especially considering how tailor-made his chances were from the excellent squad around him. Can Defoe return to form? Absolutely. Can Spurs wait and take that risk next year when the future of the club is at stake? Redknapp and Levy may very well answer “No”.
Defoe would be a welcome addition to many clubs, like the newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers. His transfer would add funds that Redknapp and the club could presumably use to attract a higher quality striker.
2. Heurelho Gomes: Goalkeeper
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The most hotly-debated topic at end of Spurs’ season, Gomes is as talented as he is unpredictable. His howlers have cost Spurs, though his tremendous saves have been just as influential (notably, the incredible save against AC Milan in the first leg). Still, the mistakes made over the past couple of years seem to show the Brazilian's complete lack of concentration, a trait a top-notch keeper certainly cannot have. Gomes absolutely can become a world-class goalkeeper, but like Defoe, he may not be worth the risk to Spurs’ 2011-12 season.
Selling Gomes back to PSV Eindhoven, for example, would allow Spurs to pursue a goalkeeper like Ben Foster, easing the worry in Spurs fans’ minds on a game-by-game basis.
1. Aaron Lennon: Midfielder
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Perhaps the biggest surprise and most controversial addition to this list is Lennon, whose talent and pace are known commodities. At one point in 2009, the best winger in England, Lennon followed up the Champions League-qualifying season with a relatively mediocre one this year. Beyond his singular incredible run in Milan, Lennon has gone notably missing at times this season. In fact, his surprise absence in Madrid created waves of uncertainty, leading many followers to question his future with the club.
His sale would, of course, be contingent upon a club offering a substantial amount in a fee. Should a club blow the doors off Redknapp and Levy, this sale would have to be considered. Lennon represents a counter-attacking style, one that Spurs may be forced to modify if they are to impose their will in any game and elevate the club back to top-4 level. If Lennon could be replaced by another game-changer (Stewart Downing, perhaps), Spurs would leap at the chance.
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