Tottenham Transfer Rumors: Is Diego Forlan the Answer to Tottenham's Prayers?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Diego Forlan has been put up for sale by Atletico Madrid for £7 million. According to the article, Forlan has already rejected a move to Turkish side Galatasaray but is very keen on a move to England.

Interestingly, this report comes only ten days after reports indicated that Diego Forlan would be staying put over the summer and was happy at Atletico Madrid.

Whatever the case, Harry Redknapp must surely be delighted with this change of events. In Diego Forlan, Redknapp has everything he's been looking for in a striker this summer.

First of all, Diego Forlan is a proven striker. Yes, he struggled in his spell in the Premier League with Manchester United, but he has excelled in Spain since then and is more than ready to give the Premier League a second shot.

If given the right support and confidence from Harry Redknapp, Diego Forlan definitely has the tools and skills to score between 15-20 goals in the coming season, which would be a significant improvement on the goal scoring total of first-choice striker Peter Crouch last season.

Secondly, Diego Forlan is available for cheap. For a striker who can bag goals on a regular basis, £7 million is nothing, especially in today's inflated market.

Yet, apparently due to Atletico Madrid's desire for a quick sale, that's all it will cost Tottenham to bring the striker to White Hart Lane. As a manager who loves to make smart and cheap purchases, Diego Forlan's transfer fee will make him appear to be an even more attractive option for Harry Redknapp.

Diego Forlan would also be very capable of playing as a lone striker, as he has the body strength and toughness to function as both a target man and a finisher.

And possibly even more importantly, Diego Forlan's transfer would take the pressure of Leandro Damiao whenever the young striker is signed. Diego Forlan would start the season as Tottenham's No. 1 striking option, and Damiao would be given time to adjust to the English game before picking up regular game time.

Obviously, there are some concerns with Forlan if he is signed. He is coming off his worst season in Spain since transferring to Villarreal from Manchester United, and at 32 years old, there are serious doubts about how well he'll be able to cope with the physicality of the Premier League and how many years he has left as a top-level striker.

But what Tottenham fans (and possibly Redknapp) need to understand is that the possible gains far outweigh the possible costs. If Forlan is able to give Spurs just one good season, his transfer fee will be more than justified, and by next season, Damiao should be more than ready to take over or at least stake his claim for a starting berth in Tottenham's lineup.

By that point, if Forlan is still on top of his game, he'll continue to excel for Tottenham, but if not, Damiao will be ready to fill in. And even if Damiao isn't ready, it's likely that two strikers out of Defoe, Pavlyuchenko and Crouch will still be with the club, and any one of them will be able to perform decently enough for the club.

So no matter the scenario, Forlan's transfer can't hurt Tottenham very much, but it can improve Tottenham greatly.

Tottenham's greatest hope for a top-four berth next season lies in the signing of Diego Forlan. Sure, it's possible that another striker will become free for Tottenham to pursue later in the summer, but it's very unlikely, especially considering Tottenham have been searching for one since last January and that there are hardly any better options than Forlan currently on the market.

Everything has fallen in place for Tottenham; all that's left is for Redknapp to place the bid and bring Diego Forlan to Tottenham. If Forlan fails to set the EPL on fire, then it may not turn out to be the best of purchases, but if he does, and he is able to score and contribute to Tottenham's attack as a striker on a regular basis, his transfer fee will be more than worth it. In Forlan, Tottenham have little to lose, and so much to gain. 

What do you think? Is signing Forlan worth the risk? Or should Tottenham continue their search for another proven striker? Any strikers/forwards in particular you think would be a better fit for Tottenham? Feel free to share your opinion and thoughts in the comment box below.