Redknapp: "We Haven't Made An Offer For Defoe"

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has admitted to admiring former Spurs player, Portsmouth striker Jermaine Defoe, with the former Pompey boss also revealing he admired a lot of his former charges at Fratton Park.

Redknapp has been linked with several of his former players since he quit the South Coast side to join Tottenham in October, with Defoe along with Sylvain Distin and Glen Johnson all said to be on the Redknapp radar.

However, despite Pompey defender Lauren claiming that Defoe was to leave Fratton Park for a sensational return to White Hart Lane in January. Redknapp insists that no deal is in place for the England International, with no offer being made by the North London club to their Premier League rivals.

“We haven't made an offer for Jermain,” Redknapp said on Friday.

“I do like Jermain but there are a lot of players at Portsmouth I like. They have a great squad of players there.

In regards to Johnson, Redknapp wouldn’t be drawn, but did concede that the Spurs squad was short in areas. Redknapp is, a known admirer of Johnson, having seen him emerge from the West Ham Academy, while he was in charge of the Hammers and then signing the right-back from Chelsea for Portsmouth in 2007 after taking Johnson on a season-long loan .

“We are short in certain positions without a doubt,” Redknapp conceded.

“We've got a good squad here, it just needs thickening up. If we find the right players, we will bring them in.”

James Plays Down Portsmouth Player Exodus To Spurs

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England International David James has played down a reunion with former Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Pompey keeper insisting that nothing has changed regarding his future at Fratton Park and that he expects his team-mates to stay also.

Since Redknapp took over at White Hart Lane the former Pompey boss has been linked with a number of players at the South coast club, with Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson, Lassana Diarra and James all reported to be on the Redknapp radar.

“Although Harry has left, nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned regarding my future at the club,” James said.

“I'm very confident for the future with the players we've got here. If we'd lost half of the players when Harry left then things might be slightly different.

“But we haven't lost any players and I'm confident we'll continue to do well.

However, while James is confident that other players at Portsmouth will remain at the club the former Liverpool player did concede that if anyone should leave it would be down to financial reasons and that they would have left if Redknapp was still in charge.

“I'd imagine that if any players left, it would be down to financial reasons and nothing else,” he added.

“You could argue that, if some do leave, it would have happened with Harry had he been here anyway.

“Of course, I'm hoping everything will stay exactly as it is.

"We've got some excellent players and I don't know of any who want to leave just because Harry has gone.”