Spurs Poised To Sign Former Liverpool Star Finnan?

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Tottenham Hotspur are understood to be on the verge of ending former Liverpool player Steve Finnan’s Spanish nightmare by offering the defender a route back to the Premier League from La Liga side Espanyol, according to The Mirror.

32-year-old Finnan left Anfield for Espanyol last summer as part of the deal that saw winger Albert Riera arrive at the Merseyside club. However, while Riera has flourished at the Reds, Finnan has struggled to settle in Spain and has only made 4 La Liga appearances for the Periquitos since his move from the Premiership.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is keen to add an experienced right-back to the squad at White Hart Lane. Following the long-term injury to Scottish International Alan Hutton and sees Republic of Ireland International Finnan as an able deputy for Hutton in the short-term.

Finnan, is under contract at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis, until the summer of 2010, but it is believed that Espanyol will not stand in the defenders way of a return to England, with The Mirror claiming that Tottenham expect to complete the signing of the Irishman by the end of the week.

Portuguese International To Return To Spurs In Hutton Swap Deal?

New Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is reportedly keen on bringing Glasgow Rangers midfielder Pedro Mendes back to White Hart Lane after selling the former Spurs player to the Gers in the summer, while in charge of Portsmouth. With speculation suggesting that Alan Hutton could go the other way as part of a swap deal with the Scottish side.

Redknapp reluctantly sold the Portuguese International to the SPL giants in the summer for £3million, with reports suggesting that 29-year-old Mendes was unhappy at the South Coast club, despite being an integral part of Pompey’s FA Cup winning team last season and regaining his place in the side towards the end of the campaign.

Mendes has impressed in the SPL this season, with the ‘Old Firm’ team in fine form, which has gained the midfielder a recall to the Portuguese team. With Mendes now wanted by Redknapp at Tottenham as the former West Ham United manager sets about putting his own mark on the squad at the North London club.

One, possibility which has been speculated about is a return to Glasgow for Spurs defender Alan Hutton, who it has been rumoured is unhappy at Tottenham after his £9million transfer from Rangers to White Hart Lane in January, with a possible swap-deal with Mendes being mooted.

However, Gers manager Walter Smith is unlikely to want to sell Mendes, who has been outstanding in the absence of captain Barry Ferguson for Rangers, with the former Scotland boss also unlikely to want Hutton back in Glasgow after the Scottish International’s transfer deadline day decision to leave in January after initially turning down a move to Tottenham.