Cavenaghi In? Pavlyuchenko Out? As Redknapp Rings The Changes At Spurs

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Tottenham Hotspur are ready to offer Ligue 1 side Bordeaux £8million for Argentine International Fernando Cavenaghi in the January transfer window, with manager Harry Redknapp seeing the striker as a replacement for summer signing Roman Pavlyuchenko, who is reportedly a target for former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos now in charge of La Liga Champions Real Madrid.

25-year-old Cavenaghi has been heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane in January and has revealed recently that he would be open to a move to the North London club, should Redknapp make an offer for the forward next month.



Redknapp sees the Argentine as an ideal replacement for Pavlyuchenko, who Redknapp is understood to want to offload next month, with the striker struggling to make an impression in the Premier League since his £14million switch from Spartak Moscow in August.

Former Manchester United player Laurent Blanc, who is the coach at Bordeaux revealed last week that while he would like to keep hold of Cavenaghi at the French club, but conceded that as coach these matters are out of his hands, with the Frenchman seeming resigned to losing Cavenaghi to the Premiership club next month.

“I want to keep my best players. I'd rather keep a player who scores goals than let him go,” Blanc told France Football last Friday.

“But then there's the reality that the coach does not control everything, whether he's at Bordeaux or elsewhere.”

Ironically, should Cavenaghi arrive at Tottenham to replace Russian International Pavlyuchenko. He would be replacing a player that he partnered upfront at Spartak Moscow between 2004-2006.

Blanc Resigned To Losing Bordeaux Striker To Spurs?

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Former Manchester United player Laurent Blanc, who is now coach at Ligue 1 side Bordeaux, has vowed to fight any move by Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur for Argentine International striker Fernando Cavenaghi.

25-year-old Cavenaghi has been heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane in January and has revealed recently that he would be open to a move to the North London club, should Spurs manager Harry Redknapp make an offer for the forward next month.



Tottenham are considering an offer in the region of £14million for Cavenaghi in January, according to reports in France. Despite, Redknapp revealing earlier this week that there will not be any major signings for the Premiership club, when the transfer window reopens in January.

However, Blanc has declared that he wants to keep the Argentine, but has conceded that the matter could be out of his hands if Tottenham make a big-money move for Cavenaghi next month.

“I want to keep my best players. I'd rather keep a player who scores goals than let him go,” Blanc told France Football.

“But then there's the reality that the coach does not control everything, whether he's at Bordeaux or elsewhere.”

Should Cavenaghi leave Bordeaux in January for Spurs then he would be reunited with Roman Pavlyuchenko, who he played with upfront at Spartak Moscow for two years between 2004-2006.

Chamakh Keen On City Move, But Would Prefer Arsenal Or Spurs - Watch Him In Action

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Moroccan International Marouane Chamakh has revealed that he is interested in joining Premier League club Manchester City, but sees the potential move only as a stepping-stone to signing for a bigger club in the Premiership, with the striker stating recently that he would favour a move to either Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur.

24-year-old Chamakh has been at Bordeaux since 2001, with the Moroccan making his senior debut for the French side in 2002 and has made 165 league appearances during his time at Bordeaux. The French-born striker made his debut for Morocco in 2003 and has 12 goals in 34 caps for his country.

Chamakh told setanta.com: “Of course I am interested in Manchester City and hopefully, one day, I will end up playing in England.

“Pascal Chimbonda opened the doors to French League players by moving to a relatively modest team before joining a bigger club, Tottenham, and I could follow his example.

“A foreign player can learn by playing for a mid-table team, because you always need to adapt, and then aim higher.

“I have been told that moving to England is a culture shock, but as far as I am concerned, I am not from a French culture and made it here so, to my mind, I can adapt.”

However, while he is interested in a switch to the Eastlands Stadium the Moroccan would prefer to ply his trade at either the Emirates Stadium or White Hart Lane, with the forward claiming that a move to Spurs would be “magnificent”, while revealing that he also “really liked” the Gunners.

“I will reach the end of my contract in 2010. I haven't met any officials yet. I am open to Bordeaux or anything else,” he told L'Equipe recently.

“In principle, I will not leave for another French club. My objective if I have to leave Les Girondins is to go abroad, preferably to England.

“Let's wait for the end of the current season to see if we will play in the Champions League and if the coach (Laurent Blanc) will stay.

“A London club is always exciting. I really like Arsenal, but a club like Tottenham would be magnificent for me too. It all depends on the circumstances.”

Argentine International Open To Spurs Move

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Argentine International striker Fernando Cavenaghi has revealed that he would be open to a move to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.

Recent reports have suggested that new Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is keen to add 25-year-old Cavenaghi to his squad at White Hart Lane in January. With Redknapp only having three recognised strikers in Roman Pavlyuchenko, Darren Bent and loan signing from Manchester United Fraizer Campbell at the North London club.

Cavenaghi has now claimed that if Tottenham are indeed interested in signing him then it is an offer the former River Plate forward would have to give serious consideration to.

Cavenaghi told Setanta: “I do not know if Tottenham are really interested in signing me. If it's right, though, I will study this offer because they are a top English team.

“I must say I like the English league, I like it a lot.

“I know many Premier League players, even if there are not many Argentinians up there. Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano - I know them well. Why shouldn't I follow in their footsteps?”

Despite being left on the bench for Bordeaux’s Champions League clash with Chelsea on Wednesday, Cavenaghi has insisted that he is not frustrated at the French side.

“I would not say I am frustrated. I play every single league game, so it's only in the Champions League that I come on as a substitute,” he added.

Should Cavenaghi leave Bordeaux in January for Spurs then he would be reunited with Pavlyuchenko, who he played with upfront at Spartak Moscow for two years between 2004-2006.

Spurs Still Tracking Argentine International

Tottenham Hotspur are still tracking Bordeaux striker Fernando Cavenaghi, who has also been linked with Premier League rivals Liverpool, with it understood that the Argentine International is unhappy at the Ligue 1 side, according to reports.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is only to aware of the shortage of strikers at White Hart Lane, with new signing Roman Pavlyuchenko, Darren Bent and on loan Fraizer Campbell the only recognised forward’s at the North London club, following the departure of Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United and Robbie Keane to Liverpool in the summer.

Despite the recent form of all three frontmen at Spurs, Redknapp is still believed to be keen to add Cavenaghi to the personnel at the North London club after recommendation by Tottenham’s French scouts and would have to pay in the region of £12million for the Argentine.

25-year-old Cavenaghi joined Bordeaux from Russian side Spartak Moscow in January 2007 for £6.5million and scored 22 goals in 35 appearances for Bordeaux last season, with sources close to the French club suggesting recently that a move to a top European side in January is likely.

Marseille, PSG, Lyon Or Bordeaux To Offer Arsenal Outcast Gallas Way Out?

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Olympique Marseille along with Bordeaux, Olympique Lyonnais and Paris St Germain could offer French International a way out of Arsenal when the transfer window reopens in January. With 31-year-old Gallas being suspended and stripped of the captains armband at the North London club following comments made to the media on Friday.

Gallas has already declared a desire to return to France, with Marseille along with Lyon, PSG or Bordeaux his preferred destination.

“It's true that I'd like to return to France for one or perhaps two seasons to finish my career," Gallas is quoted as saying in Times Online.

“But if I go, it won't be to just anywhere. I'd go to a big club or nowhere at all. The choices look simple to me - it would be Marseilles, Lyon, PSG or, let's not forget, Bordeaux. PSG are a massive club and known everywhere."

This process could now be speeded up in light of recent events at the Emirates Stadium, with a family member of Gallas claiming that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has told Gallas he can leave.

The family member told The Sun: “Arsene told him 'If you don't want to be in my team then just go. You are free to leave'.

"He's had the captaincy taken away and has also been suspended from the team.

"Of course, he's totally devastated about what's happened and is now wondering what to do next.

"He simply doesn't know what will happen to him. He's very down."

With his Arsenal future in doubt the Ligue 1 sides would be able to lure Gallas away from the Premier League for a modest fee, with Wenger reportedly ready to offload the defender in January.

Gallas has already played for Marseille between 1997 and 2001 before joining Chelsea, making 111 league appearances during his time at the Stade Velodrome, but has singled out Bordeaux coach former Manchester United player Laurent Blanc as a good guy to lead you.

Gallas said: “As far as Bordeaux, I really like the club and the region. I was a Jean Tigana fan when he played for Bordeaux. Their coach now is Laurent Blanc who I've never played for but who knows football off by heart and must be a good guy to lead you.”

Former City & Portsmouth Target Wants Spurs Or Arsenal Move

Moroccan International striker Marouane Chamakh has ruled out a move to another Ligue 1 club from Bordeaux when his contract at the Stade Chaban Delmas runs out in 2010, with the forward instead revealing that he would prefer a move to the Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur or Arsenal.

24-year-old Chamakh has been at Bordeaux since 2001, with the Moroccan making his senior debut for the French side in 2002 and has made 165 league appearances during his time at Bordeaux. The French-born striker made his debut for Morocco in 2003 and has 12 goals in 34 caps for his country.

Chamakh had been a target for Premiership clubs Manchester City and Portsmouth, who’s manager at the time Harry Redknapp is now in charge of Spurs, during the summer, but has stated that White Hart Lane or the Emirates Stadium would be his preferred destination in the Premier League should he leave Bordeaux.

“I will reach the end of my contract in 2010. I haven't met any officials yet. I am open to Bordeaux or anything else,” he told L'Equipe.

“In principle, I will not leave for another French club. My objective if I have to leave Les Girondins is to go abroad, preferably to England.

“Let's wait for the end of the current season to see if we will play in the Champions League and if the coach (Laurent Blanc) will stay.

“A London club is always exciting. I really like Arsenal, but a club like Tottenham would be magnificent for me too. It all depends on the circumstances.”

Tottenham Plan £25million Ligue 1 Double Swoop?

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has already been linked with a string of strikers in the January transfer window since taken over from Juande Ramos at White Hart Lane last Sunday, with Spurs now being linked with Ligue 1 pair, Fernando Cavenaghi at Bordeaux and Jimmy Briand, who plays for Rennes, according to Mercato 365.

Redknapp is almost certain to add more firepower to the Tottenham front line in January, with summer signing Roman Pavlyuchenko and England International Darren Bent the only two experienced forwards at the North London club.

Although Spurs have been linked with Everton’s Yakubu and Wigan Athletic’s Egyptian sensation Amr Zaki along with his Latics strike-partner Emile Heskey at home in the Premier League, Tottenham are now believed to be tracking Cavenaghi and Briand in the French top-flight.

Cavenaghi is a former team-mate of Pavlyuchenko, having played with the Russian International at Spartak Moscow and is valued by the French side at around £15million, with the 25-year-old Argentine International scoring 23 goals in 44 league matches for Bordeaux and is exactly the type of out-and-out goal-scorer that Redknapp is looking for at White Hart Lane.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Briand has drawn comparisons in his style of play to former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, with the Frenchman reportedly a target for Redknapp when he was in charge of Portsmouth. The Gunners were also said to be interested in Briand after his breakthrough season for Rennes in 2006-2007. However, despite the comparisons with Barcelona’s Henry, Briand is less prolific and plays as a second striker, where he can create for others as well as score.

Briand would cost Tottenham in the region of £10million, with the striker unsettled at the Route de Lorient after a summer tug-of-war with Ligue 1 rivals Paris St Germain, which resulted in Briand staying with Rennes, despite wanting to leave.