Tattler’s Transfer Hopes

I have been watching the transfer rumours that have been directed at Spurs over the last few months with intense anticipation. I know it happens every year, with too many false dawns over the next big signing, but I think possibly this year Ramos has the backing of the board, who are in a very strong financial position, to get in some key signings.

So we here have been thinking about what team we would like to see, and think there would be a possibilty of seeing, at Spurs next season. We have also put in which players we would like sold and potential income from them.

Goalkeepers

Alot of rumours abound about keepers this summer as it is widely known that Ramos is on the lookout for a new one. Alot of these are unfounded as many papers will just shut their eyes and pick out a name of a known goalkeeper to link with Spurs. It is near certain that Robinson will leave, yet I feel that unless Ramos obtains the exact two keepers he wants, Robinson will stay and fight for a place with a new keeper next season. We have just signed a new goalkeeper coach, Hans Leitert, from Recreativo and I believe that Robinson has the ability to improve back to his old self with the right guidance, perhaps Leitert could be this guidance? If he does not stay though, I could see him moving to Aston Villa or Wigan, someone like that who have funds but not a great squad for around £2million.

It is also almost certain that Tottenham will buy a new keeper, with links to Gomes, Neuer, Coupet and Green in recent weeks, yet I believe that a good signing, and fairly possible after Espanyol purchased Alavarez from Rosario, is Cameroonian goalkeeper Carlos Kameni. Kameni was the winner of the African keeper of the year in 2006-07 and at only 24 has a good future, and his best playing years, ahead of him. He has a buy-out clause in his contract worth £4.8m would be far cheaper than what Gomes, Neuer or Green would cost, who are vital to their teams. The rumor of Coupet too has been one that has grown in the press and being 35 years old, would not be too expensive either,  maybe around £2million, and after the player has stated that he is leaving in the summer, a move to Spurs could be on the cards.

IN    - Kameni (£4.8m), Coupet (£2m)
OUT – Robinson (£2m)

Defenders

A few more rumours about the Tottenham defence, mainly due to their very poor record in the Premier League this season. The possible transfer of Ledley King I do not see as having any real truth, as noone would want to buy such an injury prone player and none of the fans would want to see him sold, yet I do believe that the captaincy may be handed over to someone else for the new year. The other big name on the out is Younes Kaboul, who never really established himself in the first team. At only 22 he could still improve greatly as a player, yet he has publicly criticised Ramos, and as we all know, in football that means your gone. I would love to recoup the £7m that we spent on him, but with Ramos’ desire to offload him I assume a bid of around £4m-£5m would be accepted. As well as Kaboul I could quite happily see the departures of alot of the other defenders, with Lee, Assou-Ekotto, Gardner, Rocha and perhaps Chimbonda all leaving if offers would come in.

This would leave us with a still very competent backline, with Hutton, Woodgate, King and Bale providing a very strong unit when all are playing, yet I think Ramos would like to keep some competition for places in his team so bringing in a replacement for King would be top of his priorities and if Chimbonda leaves, would need some backup at rightback, though I think maybe Chimbonda may stay, get annoyed at being on the bench, and be sold in January. Gunter has shown some good performances for the Wales national team so would be good cover for Bale and Dawson is also a player simply in poor form who could regain some composure.

The likely purchase that I see for centre back would be one of Ramos’ old Sevilla defenders, Julien Escude. He’s 28 and is probably at the peak of his career, and would have the mental prowess to command a backline, this seems the most likely of the defensive rumours and a bid of around £5million is likely to be made.

IN    -Escude (£5m)
OUT -Kaboul (£4m), Gardner (£1m), Lee (£2m), Assou-Ekotto (£2m), Rocha (free)

Midfielders

One of the less prolific of the transfer windmills, Tottenham have not been linked to as many midfielders as in recent times this window, yet there are a few notable pieces of gossip. The transfers of David Bentley and Wright-Phillips have probably been born out of Lennon’s loss of form towards the second half of last season and as always we have been linked to a central midfielder. The issue of left midfield has possibly been solved with the fabulous and unexpected transfer of Luca Modric and Behrami has been linked with us too, and that transfer also looks like a possibility for the right or left midfield role.  I see Ramos putting in a big big for Bentley and if the top four are not interested, could see him signing for us, but ultimately it seems far more likely that Tottenham will stick with their current wingers. In the central midfield I think the addition of Lassana Diarra would be a very big buy for the club, adding to the defensive strength where Zokora has been unable to. He could possibly be bought for around £7million i believe.

On the way out, and this all really depends if offers come in, are probably Tainio, Boateng and Ghaly. I do not think that we will see Ghaly playing for Spurs again, and any offer will be accepted, but for Tainio or Boateng offers of £2million plus are likely, though with the large fee we payed for Boateng last summer Spurs will not want to lose too much on him and would rather keep him or loan him out. The fate of the rest of the midfield is just as uncertain with Ramos not looking to actively offload any, but would seriously consider bids that come in for Zokora, Jenas or Lennon.

IN     – Modric (£15m), Diarra (£7m), Bentley (£16m)
OUT- Tainio (£2m), Boateng (£5M+ or loan), Ghaly (free)

ForwardsThe biggest story would be the almost certain departure of Dimitar Berbatov, who is likely to go for £20million and upwards, but the relatively low interest so far has been somewhat worrying seeing as Tottenham are basing all of their dealings on the sale. If he goes though, and along with Darren Bent who would most probably go for about £10million, we will need to bring in another or another two strikers.

Links to Eto’o, Villa and Henry all look highly unlikely and are classic ‘Tottenham rumours’, like the Ronaldo and Rivaldo rumors of the past. Strikers like Nikola Zigic, Moreno, Fred and Diego Milito all look far more likely, but it is up to Ramos to decide who would be the best buy. I think that a strike pairing of any of these quite big strikers with Keane would be good but Moreno would be preferably due to his young age or Diego Militio for his strength. While Fred and Zigic are both good strikers, I do not think that they will fit in well to the style of the Premier League, though I would be happy to be proved wrong. It is likely that Milito would require a large transfer sum, maybe in the region of £18million, and Moreno would too need something like £6million, fairly high for his age, yet they would give a touch of flair to the current side.

IN    – Milito (£18m), Moreno (£6m)
OUT- Berbatov (£20m+), Bent (£10m)

That’s it, its done, the great big transfer report, and it we will come back to this at the end of August to see how many of these have come true, and which we were way off the mark with.