Tottenham Hotspur are moving in for Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan with a bid starting at £20 million. The Premier League club’s manager Harry Redknapp is keen to improve his side’s striking options as he looks to strengthen the team before their Champions League campaign next season.
Redknapp has been impressed with the Uruguayan international’s scoring prowess in Spain and Europe since leaving Manchester United and is willing to put up to £20 million for the 31-year-old. The Spurs boss believes that with Roman Pavyluchenko always likely to move on to another club, the addition of Forlan will ensure that he has sufficient options in attack.
Forlan’s experience in the Champions League will also be crucial in a Spurs squad that is slightly short in that respect. Many of the players are White Hart Lane will be making their first foray into the competition next season.
Redknapp will once again dangle the carrot of the Champions League in front of Forlan as he has done so with many of his transfer targets this summer. The free-scoring forward will remain in the Europa League next season if he chooses to stay with Atletico.
But the La Liga club are mired in debt and will need to sell at least one of their two star strikers. With Sergio Aguero a much better prospect in terms of age, Atletico could decide to let Forlan go instead.
With Spurs willing to pay at least £20 million for a player on the wrong side of his 30s, Atletico could view it as a good deal that will serve to ease some of their debt burden.
Forlan’s agent, Daniel Bolotnicoff, confirmed that the player has received offers from various European clubs but would only make a decision after the 2010 World Cup finals where he is preparing with the Uruguay national side at the moment.
“Forlan is a player who a lot of people are interested about in the European market,” Bolotnicoff said.
“Each of the seasons many clubs show interest in him. This is not the first time that a Premier League club have wanted to try to buy him back.
“At the moment, though, he is concentrating on the World Cup finals.”
Tags: Atletico Madrid, Diego Forlan, English Premier League, La Liga, Tottenham Hotspur, transfer news
Why would tottenham want to buy a premier league flop that is on the tail end of his career and will retire soon?
Can’t see Levy & ‘Arry splashing this much on Forlan when the bloke is 31!
Huntelaar or Fabiano hold far more value and potential to do well, especially Huntelaar being 25 years old.