Though Tottenham Hotspur are desperate for a quick fix to their striking problems, Steve Bruce isn’t sympathetic. Though 30-year-old Emile Heskey has been linked in the press with a £10 million move to White Hart Lane, the Daily Mail reports that Wigan will refute any offer for the England striker.

“A source at the JJB Stadium has, however, confirmed to Sportsmail that Athletic would rebuff any approach for their talisman.

The source added that Wigan’s Barclays Premier League survival would hinge on Heskey remaining part of Steve Bruce’s squad and that Wigan simply could not afford to lose their man.”

Though he has faced harsh criticism and doubts about his class during his career, Heskey is a useful striker, especially in the role of target man. Though £10 million is a good chunk of change for a man entering his thirties, Bruce is smart not to let him go, because, behind Heskey, they are very thin up front. While he is an intriguing talent (according to the ridiculous FIFA rankings) Amr “The Best Striker in the World” Zaky is still unproven in the Premiership and is likely to really benefit by playing alongside a proven veteran.

For Spurs, it is impossible to tell how serious they ever were about signing Heskey. In this tabloid-fueled transfer market, there have been more erroneous links made to Ramos’ men than pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo dressed up like Wham! members. Heskey never would have been a satisfactory replacement for either Berbatov and Keane, especially because he has never been a prolific goal scorer, which Spurs need more than anything.

I still expect Ramos to make at least one more signing, but I highly doubt it to be of the Huntelaar/ Villa class of striker. It seems more likely that they will have to make due with a guy like Milito, Falcao, or Pavlyuchenko.

If I had to bet on it, I would say they will sign Pavlyuchenko. He is lethal in front of goal, as well being a true target man. It also seems that he could be had for the right price and seems interested in moving to England, especially if they sign his compatriot Andrei Arshavin.

What exactly was Magic doing yesterday? I’m going to have to open this to the floor because I’ll be f***ed if I know!
[Read the rest of this entry »]

The incredible sulk is off for what looks like a good price for Tottenham, but it throws up the question of who (or is it whom? Damn my common ways) Spurs should buy.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

Juande Ramos picked up the scorched reigns at Tottenham Hotspur last autumn and managed the team for fifteen Premier League games before the 2008 Carling Cup Final.

Not content with taking the foot off the pedal after their victorious final, the Tottenham squad turned off the engine and sent granny out to push the car by the middle of May. Spurs were more likely to begin building a new stadium than to rise a couple of places in the league – especially with next season’s UEFA Cup passport sat secure in the glove compartment. [Read the rest of this entry »]

According to numerous sources, newly-promoted Hull City won the race (read: beat out Stoke City) to sign out-of-favour centre-back Anthony Gardner from Spurs. [Read the rest of this entry »]

The Times reckons that Spurs boss Juande Ramos has been thwarted in a bid for what would have been his billionth signing of the summer. [Read the rest of this entry »]

For those that play fantasy football every season, picking a Spurs defender in your team has always [Read the rest of this entry »]

Two days ago, we predicted a certain Premier League club might go for Paul Robinson and guess what? [Read the rest of this entry »]

So here’s to you Mr Robinson, Juande hates you more than you can know. [Read the rest of this entry »]

It appears that Juande Ramos has acquired another piece of his stonking great jigsaw puzzle [Read the rest of this entry »]

According to Setanta Sports, highly rated 16-year-old Jose-Paul Mpoku has agreed to sign with Tottenham Hotspur. The youngster picked a move to White Hart Lane over Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. [Read the rest of this entry »]

Although plenty of clubs have shown an interest in Dimitar Berbatov since he (or should that be his agent) declared that his time at White Hart Lane was up, none have been forthcoming in terms of lodging a bid for the Bulgarian striker. Which has obviously come as welcome news to Tottenham Hotspur, who have made sure that the player is only going to leave in the summer if it’s at the right price.

The fabulous read that is the Sofia Echo report that Spurs have offered Berbagol a brand new contract to continue his good work with Robbie Keane, with the forward getting £10k extra in his weekly pay packet if he signs on the dotted line. Fingers crossed Spurs fans…

The prospect of Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov leaving current club Tottenham Hotspur in one of this summer’s blockbuster transfer moves appears increasingly less likely with every passing day.

Despite serving as fodder for numerous transfer gossip column inches in the closing stages of the Premier League season, talk of Berbatov leaving the White Hart Lane club has quieted down, with none of the interested parties apparently putting in a bid for the striker.

Valued at 30 million pounds at one point by head coach Juande Ramos, Tottenham seem to have successfully scared off potential suitors, among them the freshly-crowned European champions Manchester United and Barcelona.

Tottenham fans will certainly be dancing in the street if this one comes off. There’ll be children swaying and records playing if the Bulgarian decides to be part of the Ramos revolution, while he’s bound to get some decent service from Keane and new signing Luka Modric. Go on Dimitar, you know you want to!

According to Goal.com, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are doing what they do quite often: competing. This time, however, they are competing in the boardroom, as opposed to the pitch.

“Arsenal and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with a possible move for highly-rated young Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey is reported by several media sources be a target for both Arsenal and Spurs after demonstrating during the 2007-08 season for both club and country that he is a top prospect. Some reports suggest Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is mulling over an £8 million bid, though others put Hennessey’s price at closer to £5million.”

While I would be shocked if Spurs or Arsenal would pull the trigger for £8 mil, I would not be shocked to see either team keep tabs on the Welsh international. He did have a great year for Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers. He kept 21 clean sheets last season and was voted in as the keeper for the Professional Footballers’ Association Team of the Year (Championship).

This move seems to make more sense for Spurs, as they are in much more need of a goalkeeper. Boss Juande Ramos has made it painfully clear that he has zero faith in Paul Robinson. With Radek Cerny moving on to QPR, Spurs could definitely use the services of young Hennessey. Though his value has fluctuated in the papers, Spurs’ top choice Joe Hart could cost the club between £8 and £10 million. If that turns out to be the actual figure, Hennessey would be cheaper, but far less proven than City’s Hart.

For Arsenal, it casts doubt about how strong Wenger’s faith is in his current goalkeeper Manuel Almunia. With long-time Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann moving on to the Bundesliga, Almunia’s lone backup will be promising young keeper Lukasz Fabianski. I doubt Wenger would buy another expensive keeper, unless he does not see either Almunia or Fabianski as long-term contributors. Though I may be more sold on Fabianski than some, I doubt he is willing to give up on him already. If they were to sign Hennessey, I don’t see Almunia being at the Emirates for the long-term.

Though this might just be paper talk, I see Spurs pursuing him much more seriously than the Gunners, because they have a much more pressing need at keeper. That being said, I still think he is only strongly considered if Spurs lose out on, or are priced out of, the Joe Hart/ Allan McGregor sweepstakes.

The signing of Luka Modric showed just how Juande Ramos’ stewardship of Spurs had helped the club to beat all and sundry to top quality players! Now it appears that another big name is very close indeed to securing a move to White Hart Lane.

Spurs do appear to be closing in on the signing of Barcelona’s Mexican midfielder Giovani dos Santos for an initial £6m. (The Times)

19-year-old Giovani closed the season with a fantastic hat-trick as if to display his wares to the world prior to a potential move, and it seems odds-on that he will leave the Nou Camp. The diminutive attacker, available for a total fee of around £12m, appears to have the footballing world at his feet, so it’s understandable that Spurs fans are overjoyed that he may well be about to join Ramos’ revolution!

According to multiple sources, Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of bringing 20-year-old winger Diego Capel to White Hart Lane. They reportedly have agreed to meet the speedster’s buyout clause of 15 million euros. Electric sports reports:

Spurs are poised to confirm a deal to take the left-sided starlet to White Hart Lane having met the 15 million euros ($31.9 million) asking price, according to Diario de Sevilla.

Tottenham are believed to have agreed a four-year deal with the 20-year-old and he is keen to work with Spurs boss Juande Ramos once again after rising to prominence under him in Spain.

While many papers describe this as a done deal, there are still questions that need to be answered. Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido claims that he has had no talks with Spurs, though sources seem to indicate that this may be untrue. Also, there is talk that Capel is high on the wish-list of a certain Portuguese megalomaniac, who is set to be the new boss of the champions of Serie A. Spurs seem keen to get this deal done before Jose Mourinho’s deal with Inter is completed to make sure he does not foil their plans.

Capel would be the third in a line of talented new midfielders who are likely to be with the club next year. Croatian playmaker Luka Modric has already signed a contract with the London side. Many expect ex-Barcelona phenom Giovani Dos Santos to also join the club this summer. Regardless of what Martin Jol thinks about Spurs’ chance to break into the top four this year, Spurs fans should rest easy knowing that new boss Juande Ramos is moving the team in the right direction.

Capel, like Modric and Dos Santos, is seen as a rising, while unproven star. Like the other two, there has been much debate in the press about how big of an impact he will make. He has been called the new Cristiano Ronaldo, and he has been called the next Jose Antonio Reyes. I expect that he will fall somewhere in the middle. I think this would be a great signing for Spurs, as he is a pacy player with tons of upside. What do you think?

It’s an exciting time to be a Tottenham fan. Juande Ramos clearly has a plan of action, which involves shipping out many members of his current squad, along with a phase of recruitment before next season. Sky Sports report that Spurs are inches away from securing the signature of Giovani Dos Santos from Barcelona, an exciting attacking talent from Mexico.

It appears as though it will cost around £6million to land the forward, which could be relative peanuts if the 19-year-old adapts to the English game (and weather!).

Dos Santos’s father, Zizinho, admitted that his son is proud and excited by the thought of moving to such a prestigious club as he told Mexican daily paper, Record, that a deal was in the offing.

“Nothing has been finalised,” he said. “But it is an honour that a club as important as Tottenham want to sign Giovani, but nothing can be said officially yet.

“The ambitious project that Tottenham have has excited Giovani and he just wants to go there and help the team in any way he can.

“It is obvious that leaving Barcelona is a risky decision, but with his qualities it appears that it could be the best option for him.”

Ambitious project eh! This presumably includes a blueprint for how Tottenham can become a top four team, although will they have problems attracting players without being able to guarantee them Champions League football?

There was much talk before the start of last season over whether Tottenham Hotspur could challenge the ‘Big Four’ of Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. As it turned out, Spurs didn’t even finish in the top half of the table, so that prediction was pretty wide of the mark (a bit like a Darren Bent shot). Now, with Juande Ramos at the helm, there’s more talk about them challenging for Champions League places, although the Daily Mail reports that his predecessor Martin Jol is not convinced the club will ever manage a top four placing. Sour grapes or just brutal honesty?

The Dutch mananger, who has just taken over at German side Hamburg after being sacked by Spurs in October, said: “When I was with Spurs we finished fifth twice.

“It’s not realistic for Tottenham to be top four because the financial differences are too much.

“Everton were the last club to do it and that was merely a one-off.”

Hmmm, I seem to recall the Toffees were toe-to-toe with Liverpool for the best part of last season, thus proving that football is all about the sum of parts, unless you have someone like Cristiano Ronaldo in the team! Plus, Tottenham’s spending over the last couple of seasons is roughly equal to that of north London rivals Arsenal, so is Jol right to make such a bold statement as the above?

Just a shame for Spurs fans that it’s not Dimitar Berbatov, although it must still be great news to hear that Robbie Keane has pinned his colours firmly to the Tottenham mast. The striker had a very strong season for the North London club and the Daily Telegraph reports that the Irishman is loving life at White Hart Lane and is a firm part of Juande Ramos’ plans for next season.

“I’m very content with my life and my time at Spurs.

“I want to play there as long as I’m happy and as long as I’m wanted.

“Over the last three of four years there has always been speculation that I’m going here, there and everywhere.

He said: “I’m having a summer off without people ringing saying ‘Are you going here, are you going there?’

“So I’m looking forward to a nice break and then going back to Spurs next season.”

It remains to be seen who Keano’s strike partner will be next season, although it’s all gone quiet on the Berbatov transfer front, despite the Bulgarian’s agent giving Hleb’s counterpart a run for his money in the flirtation stakes. Tottenham fans, who do you want to see partnering Keane next season?

The Times reports that Juande Ramos is in the running to sign young French goalie Hugo Lloris from Nice. Tottenham will have to beat off interest from AC Milan and Lyon for the 21-year-old, and Lloris himself is keeping his options open, batting his eyelashes at all three clubs:

“Lyon have continuity and they are in the Champions League as well, Milan are football and all that follows and Tottenham, they have a great project for the future with a very successful manager,” (The Times)

Lloris looks to be an excellent prospect – in fact it’s pretty surprising that Arsene Wenger hasn’t had a sniff around him – and a goalie is definitely high up on Spurs’ list of priorities, with schlubby goon Paul Robinson playing awfully and his less-than-capable understudy Radek Cerny scuttling off to QPR after some rotten performances. If Ramos pulls this one off, he will have plugged another gap in the ever growing and impressively talented Spurs squad.

There’s not yet been any indication as to whether Dimitar Berbatov is 100% leaving White Hart Lane, nor where he’s likely to end up. Sure, there’s been the usual links to Manchester United and Barcelona in the press, while the latter have also been linked to selling Samuel Eto’o to none other than Spurs.

The Daily Mail report that Juande Ramos has recently given up the ghost as far as the Cameroonian international is concerned, chiefly because Tottenham refuse to pay an astronomical £107,000 a week to a player who is widely thought to have seen better days. It’s clear that the Spurs manager is going through various squads in La Liga with a fine toothcomb in a bid to acquire some decent stock and another striker is now thought to top his wishlist.

The attempt to sign Eto’o shows Ramos’s ambition for next season, having already bought Croatian Luka Modric for £15.8m but he will probably now turn to Real Zaragoza’s Diego Milito.

Zaragoza are looking to sell the Argentine, who scored 17 goals this season, to ease their debts following their relegation to Spanish football’s second division.

It’s clear that the north London club will be giving Liverpool a run for their money next season as far as a healthy Spanish contingent is concerned. Ramos is extremely knowledgeable about all things Primera Liga, and it would be no surprise to see him pick up some bargains from abroad, as opposed to Tottenham’s previous policy of recruiting young English talent.