Tottenham Boss Confirms Didier Drogba Interest

White Hart Lane boss wants Stamford Bridge striker.

Harry Redknapp believes Tottenham need to bolster their squad regardless of whether or not they finish fourth, and has not ruled out a swoop for Didier Drogba.

Spurs’ coffers have been boosted considerably since they qualified for the UEFA Champions League at the end of last season, but they are fighting to make it through to the next edition of Europe’s premier club competition.

There have been suggestions that chairman Daniel Levy may not be able to sanction big-money bids if Tottenham do not secure a top-four finish, but the manager maintains that it would be a backward step to have a quiet transfer window.

Tottenham have been linked with a move for Drogba, whose future at Chelsea has been the subject of discussion since Fernando Torres’ arrival in January.

Redknapp admits he is an admirer of the Ivory Coast international and does not know whether something might happen in the summer, although he does not want to say too much at this point.

“Drogba is still a fantastic player, who knows,” he said. “It’s up to Chelsea what they do, he’s been a great player for them.

“He’s a fantastic centre-forward. Power, strength, he’s got everything and he scores goals as well.

“He plays for Chelsea and until they decide otherwise, you can’t speculate about his future.” (Sky Sports)

Clearly any manger would be interested in Didier Drogba, after all he was the Premier League’s top scorer last term and has recently raised his game and returned near to that form after replacing faltering Fernando Torres up front.

Carlo Ancelotti may well consider letting the 33 year old Ivory Coast man go as he looks to make long term plans but it seems far more likely that the former Marseille man would either return to France or perhaps move to La Liga where his former boss Jose Mourinho is apparently considering bringing the sharp shooter to Real Madrid.

Redknapp does however need to resolve his failing strike force having seen Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane all fail to inspire.

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Arsenal Insider Confirms Shock £10m Bid for Everton Full Back Leighton Baines

Emirates outfit plan move for Toffees defender.

Arsenal are preparing a £10million move for Leighton Baines as fears grow over the future of left back Gael Clichy.
Sportsmail revealed last month that manager Arsene Wenger is worried Clichy will not sign a new deal at the Emirates. The French defender, who is out of contract at the end of next season, later admitted he would not recommence discussions over a new deal until the end of this campaign.
Now Everton’s Baines has been identified as the man Arsenal want should Clichy be sold.

The Gunners have looked at Celtic’s Emilio Izaguirre but Baines has been a shining light in a mediocre season for Everton and his performances have alerted Wenger.
An Arsenal source told Sportsmail: ‘Baines is a good defender first and foremost but Wenger likes how comfortable he is on the ball, particularly his delivery and set pieces. Wenger thinks Baines would slot straight into the team with little fuss. Also Baines knows the Premier League inside and out so he would not have to get used to English football like a foreign signing would.’

SOURCE: Daily Mail

How much should we believe about this Daily Mail report? Could it be true? Who is the Arsenal ‘source’? Perhaps however the biggest question would be, how can a reputable article about prospective left back targets that Arsene Wenger may make a move for, not make one single mention of a certain Kieran Gibbs? Yes, that’s right the ready made England international replacement for Gael Clichy, if indeed the Frenchman does leave the Emirates.

Clearly Leighton Baines is a quality player, a very effective wide option both on the attack and in defence. He is also a damn good set piece taker but surely Wenger would not look further than Gibbs, a player he has taken time to help build into the very talented youngster that he is now, surely it is not the Gunners manager’s style to ignore young talent he has at the club?

It seems a fair few of Arsenal’s squad are linked with exits that depend very much on whether the North London club fails to clinch the Premier League title, at least that is what the tabloids will have you believe. Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin have all been linked with high profile exits but just how likely is it that they will leave this summer?

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Arsenal Likely to Complete Signing of Dutch International Who Confirms He Wants Gunners Move

Ajax keeper makes it clear he wants to move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal face competition from Juventus for Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. Tuttosport says Juve are ready to cash in on Gigi Buffon to fund their own transfer plans this summer.

A host of keepers are now under consideration as Buffon’s replacement, including Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari) and Stekelenburg. But the Dutchman revealed to Tuttosport: “If an offer from Arsenal arrives, I will leave.”

SOURCE: Yahoo Eurosport

Well if indeed that quote is accurate, and it is all over the web, then surely that is a pretty damn good indication that the Ajax man wants to move to the Emirates, a move that will surely go some way to helping the North London club from resolving their keeper crisis.

Manuel Almunia was of course the first choice keeper at the Emirates when the season began but a succession of clangers led to the Spaniard being dropped and replaced by the improved, but still inconsistent, Polish international Lukasz Fabianski until he fell foul to injury. Then in came youngster Wojciech Szczesny who looked decent but then made huge errors before also getting injured. Fourth choice keeper Vito Mannone is out on loan and also sidelined.

Arsene Wenger has therefore set his sights on bringing in a keeper and the likes of Mark Schwarzer and Pepe Reina have been mentioned heavily over the past year but news that Dutch international Maarten Stekelenburg is interested in a move to the Gunners will surely lead to 28 year old becoming the favourite to become the next number one keeper at the Emirates Stadium.

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