Spurs to bid for unsettled Spanish striker.
Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts
Tottenham are the latest club being linked with a late move for unsettled Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, CaughtOffside understands.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a host of clubs for much of the summer after a difficult few years at Stamford Bridge, though early proposed swap-moves to the likes of Napoli and Fiorentina never materialised as Chelsea missed out on Edinson Cavani and Stevan Jovetic.
The Blues did, however, succeed in bringing in Samuel Eto’o from Anzhi Makhachkala, and could still be in the market for another striker in the final hours of the transfer window.
Although time is ticking away before the close of the transfer window tonight, Torres’ future remains up in the air, and he has also been linked with a return to former club Liverpool in the last few days.
It is unclear, however, if the Spaniard would be welcomed back at Anfield after departing the club in 2011 in a £50million move, as he has been booed by Liverpool fans ever since then when playing against the Reds for Chelsea.
Tottenham may then prove a more tempting option for the striker, and Andre Villas-Boas is said to be keen to partner Torres with fellow Spaniard Roberto Soldado at White Hart Lane.
Soldado was signed for £26million from Valencia this summer, and is the club’s main addition upfront, but Villas-Boas would still like to sign one more striker to improve on the club’s misfiring pair of last season, Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor.
It may be that Adebayor will need to make way before a move for Torres can go through, with the Togolese striker’s high wages proving a heavy burden on the club’s wage bill, though a proposed move to Schalke has reportedly fallen through.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City man could still join Queens Park Rangers on loan for the season, and there are still many twists and turns that could play a part in Torres’ move before the end of today.
Spurs are still also considering signing Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk on loan, though the Russian club will charge them £10million to do so, and close to £50million for a permanent move, leaving Torres as the cheaper option at around £20million.
The White Hart Lane club also failed in their attempts to sign Mexican striker Javier Hernandez from Manchester United, with the 25-year-old keen to fight for his place at Old Trafford this season.
Chelsea could also allow Demba Ba to leave the club, with both Arsenal and Newcastle interested in a loan move for the out-of-favour Senegalese international.