New Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has revealed that he would be “interested” in bringing England International Jermain Defoe back to White Hart Lane should the Portsmouth striker become available, with Lassana Diarra another possible target in January after Redknapp revealed earlier on Monday that Portsmouth would be forced to sell players in the transfer window.
26-year-old Defoe joined the South coast club from Spurs in January after growing frustrated about the lack of first-team opportunities under previous Tottenham manager’s Juande Ramos and Martin Jol, with former Spurs strike-force Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane the preferred option for the Spaniard and the Dutchman.
However, with Berbatov at Manchester United and Keane now at Premier League leaders Liverpool, Defoe, who has also worked with Redknapp at West Ham United would be guaranteed a more pivotal role at the North London side. Should Redknapp move for the striker, who’s name was chanted by the Tottenham fans in their first win in the Premiership this season against Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.
“If he [Defoe] ever came back up for sale then I'm sure we would be interested,” said Redknapp.
Spurs had also been linked with Pompey’s Lassana Diarra during the summer, with the former Arsenal player another possible target for Redknapp, who revealed earlier on Monday that he thought Portsmouth would have to sell some of its stars in the January transfer window. Redknapp also said that he felt Portsmouth would be sold and that a major factor in his decision to leave Pompey was an impending January ‘fire sale’.
Redknapp said: “I think Sacha would like to sell if he can find a buyer. He's been very supportive and put a lot of money into the club.
“Sacha is a terrific young man but I'm not sure he wants to keep going.
“The owner has spent big money since he's been there, but things were tight.
“All clubs are up for sale and Portsmouth are included in that.
“I didn't have to go, but Peter told me the pros and cons and what the future might hold at Portsmouth and I had to weigh all of that up.
“Things are tight. The owner Sacha has been fantastic but they get 19,000 people and sold one or two players in the transfer window and in the end they've had to sell the manager.
“The funds are tight. We were talking about selling players in January unfortunately. Sacha's given great support but we were hoping to do a deal or two before the window closed and it didn't happen.”
Tottenham have been lacking a midfield general like Diarra since the departure of Michael Carrick to Manchester United in 2006, while Defoe, who has been on fire for Pompey would certainly revive a Tottenham attack that has been stuttering this season. With Roman Pavlyuchenko, Darren Bent and young Fraizer Campbell all struggling under the Ramos regime.
Redknapp, was in the dugout for the 2-0 win over Bolton and decided to play Croatian International Luka Modric just off Pavlyuchenko, with the Croatian giving a man-of-the-match performance and now looks set to play in that role until January.
“I felt that's his position, behind the front man,” Redknapp said.
“That's where he needs to play so that's where we decided to play him against Bolton. If you give him the ball, he'll do special things and has got great awareness. And he mucks in as well.”
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