Spurs To Make £5million January Swoop For Hennessey?

Despite new Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp publicly backing under fire goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes earlier this week, Spurs continue to be linked with January moves for alternatives. The latest to be linked is Wolverhampton Wanderers keeper Wayne Hennessey, according to The Sun.

Tottenham have already been linked with Ben Foster at Manchester United, Robert Green at West Ham along with Shay Given at Newcastle United, who Redknapp has declared an interest in. Should the Republic of Ireland International become available.

Now the Sun claims that Spurs are lining up a £5million bid for Welsh International Hennessey, with the 21-year-old Wolves Player of the Year top of Redknapp’s list to replace summer signing from PSV Eindhoven Gomes.

Hennessey has been at Wolves since 2006 and has made 58 league appearances during his time at the Molineux Stadium. Hennessey has 15 caps for Wales and was named in the 2007/08 PFA Championship Team of the Year.

However, Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will be reluctant to let Hennessey leave for White Hart Lane should Spurs come calling and with Wolves top of the Championship will tell Hennessey that he could realise any Premier League ambitions with Wolves.

Has He Got To Gomes?

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The Jake Briggs Column at TheProudCockerel.co.uk

A while ago a friend of mine created a loosely scientific theory for the gaffes that England goalkeeper David James was prone to so often in his earlier career. He called it Roli’s Barnet Theory of Culpability, which had a formula M=HF². This equated to H=hair, F=flamboyant and M=(night)mare. So in easy speak every time James did something flamboyant with his hair a mare was not far round the corner M=HF².

Alas I have no such explanation or theory for Senor Gomes, who seems to have been at fault for the vast majority of goals that Spurs have conceded this season. Which has surprised me for of all the signings that Tottenham made this summer, Gomes was one I expected to excel and become a cult hero at White Hart Lane.

You see I can understand mistakes and errors while playing in a team that is making them all over the pitch, as we were under Ramos, but as Tottenham under the guidance of Redknapp have started to flourish and play with confidence Gomes continues to disappoint. I admit the Brazilian has made some outstanding saves since his big-money move from PSV Eindhoven this summer, but his decision making and positional sense on crosses leaves a lot to be desired and is very reminiscent of a younger James. Not to mention his habit of hospitalising his own team-mates.

It seems that Harry is also of the same opinion and has been linked with a number of keepers since his arrival at White Hart Lane, with Spurs linked to England International’s Robert Green and Ben Foster along with Shay Given at Newcastle United, who Redknapp has publicly revealed an interest in and from further ashore Russian International Vyacheslav Malafeev at Zenit St Petersburg.

So if Gomes is to be shown the door at Tottenham in January, who is the most likely to replace the Brazilian between the posts at Spurs, Green, Roberts, Given or Malafeev?

Well if we rule out the Russian keeper then we are left with three who all know what the Premier League is about. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has started to think in terms of use Foster or lose Foster in light of our interest and is ready to play him and offer a new deal, while the impending fire sale at Upton Park in January could see us land a reportedly unhappy Green from West Ham for a song. With the Hammers Player of the Year last season believed to be unhappy at not being on par financially with other players at West Ham.

However, I believe Given would represent the best option, having been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the Premiership over the past decade for the Magpies. The chances of luring Given away from St James’ Park are pretty good to, with Newcastle owner Mike Ashley reportedly prepared to sell any asset he can before selling the club and with a source close to the Republic of Ireland International claiming recently that Given is still hungry to win something in his career and is prepared to leave the Toon in order to achieve that.

Spurs Boss Redknapp: "Gomes Is A World-Class Goalkeeper"

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Amidst recent reports linking new Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp with a number of goalkeeper’s to replace £8million summer signing Heurelho Gomes at White Hart Lane. The former Portsmouth boss has come out and backed the Brazilian International to bounce back from a string of disappointing performances for Spurs this season.

Redknapp has been linked with England International’s Robert Green and Ben Foster recently along with Newcastle United stalwart Shay Given, who he has publicly declared an interest in. However, Redknapp insists that Gomes is a “world class goalkeeper” and has urged the former PSV Eindhoven player to “turn in a terrific performance” against Blackburn Rovers in their Premier League clash this weekend.

“He's our number one goalkeeper so he's got to do the job - we're relying on him heavily,” Redknapp.

“I believe in him and we have to believe in him.”

“Obviously he is disappointed with the weekend but his record tells you he is a world-class goalkeeper.

“He has to bounce back from that and turn in a terrific performance this weekend. I'm sure he'll do that. He's a strong character. It's up to him now.”

Travelling back to White Hart Lane for the first time on Saturday since his summer transfer to Blackburn, will be former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson, who has just been recalled to the England squad for the Germany International.

However, Redknapp is hoping not to find Robinson in the form that originally brought him to Tottenham and has targeted the two games against Rovers and then Everton, both at home to help move Spurs out of the relegation zone.

“It's a big game for us this weekend, we have a couple of home games and need to pick up good points because it is so close - it's unbelievable down there, a couple of wins can move you up the table so much,” he added.

Spurs To Make £10million January Swoop For Foster?

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New Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is ready to test the resolve of counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson at Premier League Champions Manchester United in the January transfer window, with a £10million bid for England International goalkeeper Ben Foster (below), according to reports.

Redknapp is not convinced about current Spurs No1 Heurelho Gomes following a series of gaffes in goal for Tottenham, both before and after the former Portsmouth chief’s arrival at White Hart Lane last month. With the Brazilian International’s latest error costing the North London club a point in their clash with Fulham on Saturday.

Shay Given at Newcastle United is understood to be Redknapp’s first choice to replace the hapless Gomes between the posts at Tottenham. However, Magpies boss Joe Kinnear has already declared that Given will not be leaving St James’ Park and recently issued a hands off warning to Spurs.

“I can save Harry the time and money and tell him not to bother even picking up the telephone, because there is no way Shay Given will be leaving this club,” Kinnear told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle last week.

Tottenham will now reportedly turn their attention towards 25-year-old Foster, who is behind Dutch International Edwin van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak in the pecking order at Old Trafford. Foster has always insisted that he wishes to remain at the European Champions, but knows that he must be playing regular first-team football if he is to add to his one cap for England under Fabio Capello.

Ferguson will be reluctant to let Foster leave the Red Devils, but will be tested by an offer in the region of £10million by Tottenham for Foster. However, the board at United are likely to see the deal as good business for a player that has been at Old Trafford since 2005, but has only made 2 senior appearances for United during that time.

Kinnear Warns Spurs Boss Redknapp Off Given, But Will That Be Enough?

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Since his arrival at Tottenham Hotspur as manager from Portsmouth, Harry Redknapp has been linked with a number of goalkeepers, with the former Pompey boss not convinced about error prone Brazilian International Heurelho Gomes.

Newcastle United’s keeper Shay Given along with Robert Green at West Ham United and Premier League Champions Manchester United’s Ben Foster have all been linked with Spurs, with Redknapp revealing that he would be interested in bringing Republic of Ireland International Given to White Hart Lane. Should he become available.

However, Magpies manager Joe Kinnear has declared that Given will not be allowed to leave St James’ Park should Spurs come calling in January, with Kinnear eager to keep Given, who is an integral part of the United team in the North East.

Kinnear, who used to play for Tottenham has even claimed that it would not be worth Redknapp’s time to even make the call to Newcastle, with Kinnear adamant that Given will stay at St James’ Park.

“I can save Harry the time and money and tell him not to bother even picking up the telephone, because there is no way Shay Given will be leaving this club,” Kinnear told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

“We want to build up Newcastle United and get good players in, not good players out.

“And why would he want to go to Spurs? This is a bigger club than Spurs.”

Recent reports however, suggest that the decision might not be down to the Newcastle boss alone, with it understood that Magpies owner Mike Ashley is keen to sell any assets at the North East club before he sells the club itself and a source close to Given recently revealing that the Irishman could leave Newcastle in order to win trophies.

A close friend of Given said: “Shay is widely regarded as one, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League.

“Yet he has nothing to show for his ability as he has not won a major trophy in his entire career.

“He has always stated he is happy at Newcastle but the simple fact of the matter is he wants to win things. Although it will hurt him to do so, he is ready to leave Newcastle to achieve that.

“And he would be more than happy to go to a club like Tottenham where the club's potential under Harry is clearly enormous.”

So whether Kinnear can hold on to Given, who has been at Newcastle since 1997 remains to be seen as Given could choose to leave for Spurs if he feels his chances of collecting silverware are greater in North London.

End Of Gomes? As Spurs Boss Redknapp Reveals Interest In £7million Given

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Tottenham Hotspur could make a January move for Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given (below), with new Spurs boss Harry Redknapp not convinced by current White Hart Lane No 1, Brazilian International Heurelho Gomes after a series of high profile blunders in his fledgling Premier League career to date.

Recent reports have linked the North London club, with England International’s Robert Green at West Ham United and Ben Foster at Premiership Champions Manchester United, but former Portsmouth manager Redknapp has now revealed that he would be interested in the 32-year-old Republic of Ireland International Given, if the keeper should become available.

Redknapp said: “Shay Given is a great goalkeeper who I admire. Any manager would have to be interested in him if he became available.”

Sources close to Given, who started his career at SPL side Celtic have claimed that the stopper, while happy at the Magpies has not a single trophy to show for his 15-years as a professional and is ready to leave St James’ Park, with United owner Mike Ashley eager to cash in on any assets at Newcastle before he sells the North East club.

A close friend of Given said: “Shay is widely regarded as one, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League.

“Yet he has nothing to show for his ability as he has not won a major trophy in his entire career.

“He has always stated he is happy at Newcastle but the simple fact of the matter is he wants to win things. Although it will hurt him to do so, he is ready to leave Newcastle to achieve that.

“And he would be more than happy to go to a club like Tottenham where the club's potential under Harry is clearly enormous.”

Whether Spurs make an offer for Given, who would cost in the region of £7million, or indeed Green or Foster in January remains to be seen, but it appears that Redknapp has targeted the goalkeeper position at White Hart Lane as one department that needs strengthening, with Gomes almost certain to become an early casualty of the Redknapp era at Spurs.