The key, as has long been thought, is offloading Roman Pavlyuechnko to free up funds and wage budget.

Zenit St Petersburg, considered one of the front runners for Pav’s signature, have today officially pulled out of the race to sign him after having a loan bid rejected.

And Pav himself has distanced himself from rumours linking him with former club Spartak Moscow’s arch rivals, insisting “I just cannot imagine myself wearing Zenit’s shirt.”.

All is not lost however. Harry Redknapp has refused to deny reports of a recent meeting with Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s agent and confirmed his interest in  signing the Real Madrid striker.

“It’s an interesting one.” said Redknapp.

“Van Nistelrooy is a fantastic player with a proven goalscoring record in England, and if he was available it could be of interest to us.”

“But I’ve already got four strikers and if I ended up trying to keep five of them happy, that’s a problem I could do without.

“Pavlyuchenko is looking to move, and I could only do something with Van Nistelrooy if someone came in for Pav and he decided to go.”

Reading between the lines, the fact that Redknapp is commenting on the story would suggest that Tottenham are confident of striking a deal for Pav soon and we can expect serious moves for a top notch central midfielder following that transfer. Birmingham have been mooted as potential buyers.

Reports today suggest that former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who had been heavily linked with Tottenham, has flown in for talks with Man City about a loan move there.

But the on off saga of Sandro’s move from Brazil to Spurs could still happen. And Spurs are still believed to be interested in Sulley Muntari (of Inter Milan) and Miguel Veloso of (Sporting Lisbon).  

And amazingly, the Telegraph is today reporting that Spurs are in the market for a new right back with 29 year old Mathieu Chalme of Bordeaux top of the list. If that happens, I’ll run down the Tottenham High Road naked, so you’d better hope it doesn’t!

In other news, Jamie O’Hara is back in the squad for tomorrow’s match against Liverpool after he returned from his loan spell at Portsmouth and Tom Huddlestone pulled out of the squad with a knee injury.   

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Here are his stats for the season so far:

Take out the Burnley match and he has two goals from 16 starts in the league. And it’s not as though he hasn’t had chances, he’s missing sitters in every game.

Most obvious common denominator in the matches against Hull, Stoke and Wolves? Robbie Keane starting up front.

It seems clear to me that Keane should at least be relegated down the pecking order behind the likes of Pav and Gio Dos Santos. And the only reason I say that  is the fabled bubbliness in the dressing room.

But then, if we just drop him long term, where does that leave our striking options? Pav and Crouch would probably not be the perfect partnership. And Gio may or may not do it. Yes Pav will probably be sold this window but stories in the press would suggest that his transfer fee has been earmarked for other areas of the squad. If we don’t sell Keane, we won’t be able to bring another forward in to replace him.

So what do you think? Vote in the poll (on the right hand side of the page) and discuss in the comments below. Are there any Spurs fans out there who actually think we should persevere with him? I say sell him.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Modric scores the first…

And Defoe gets the second…

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Harry Redknapp has clarified his thinking on the goalkeeper situation at Spurs.

There was some confusion amongst Tottenhanam fans as to whether the persistent keeper links in the press indicated a lack of trust in Heurelho Gomes from the Spurs manager.

But Redknapp has confirmed that any move for a goalkeeper would be with the aim of providing quality cover for the Brazilian, not replacing him.

Harry said: People have talked about David James and Ben Foster but they are going to want to play and Gomes has been brilliant this season.”

“It is a difficult situation because if Gomes gets injured, we need someone who can come in and do the job. It’s no good putting someone in just to give them experience.”

It is being widely reported this week that Spurs are on the verge of signing Swiss keeper Eldin Jakupovic on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow with a view to a permanent £1m deal in the summer.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Tottenham are seriously looking at bringing in Ivorian scoring sensation Seydou Doumbia as a replacement for Roman Pavlyuchenko. Doumbia finished top scorer in the Swiss league last season with 20 goals, despite only starting 8 matches. He also chipped in the with 1o assists and this season already has 15 goals in 13 appearances.

Doumbia is expected to be Didier Drogba’s strike partner for Ivory Coast at next year’s World Cup.

Two Russian clubs are reported to have had £8m bids for him rejected in the summer but it is thought that £10m will be enough to prize him away from Swiss league leaders Young Boys.

At 21 years of age, this guy looks to have the potential to give Keane and Crouch a serious run for their money to be Jermain Defoe’s strike partner, but isn’t such an established star that he’ll get dejected if he doesn’t play in every match. With electric pace and a beast of a shot, he’s also the type of player who could change a game if brought on as a substitute.

In short, my favourite striker link for some time.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

New video compilation of Aaron Lennon in the Harry Redknapp era (includes the Wigan match).

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Done the Christmas shopping yet? Not long to go. Click here for exclusive savings and voucher offers at Argos

Mark Hughes has dismissed Tottenham’s hopes of signing Man City defender Micah Richards. Harry Redknapp had hoped to bring the  former England player to Spurs in a £6m deal in January after Richards found first team football difficult to come by at City this season.

But Hughes said:

‘Micah Richards is not going anywhere in January.’

‘He is a big part of what we are trying to do here and we know he can improve. Don’t forget, he is still a very young man.

‘His football experience is great for someone of so few years and sometimes he doesn’t get enough credit for that.

‘But he is nowhere near the finished article. There is a huge amount of potential still to be tapped into.’

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)