Barmby Staying North?

Nick Barmby's future was shrouded in uncertainty once more last night after he stalled over a move back to Tottenham and indicated a preference for remaining in the north.

The out-of-favour Liverpool midfielder has been pursued by his old club for months and looked to be bound for White Hart Lane at the end of the season.

But while he accepts that he no longer figures in Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier's plans and will have to quit Anfield before next season, he has confided to friends that he would rather stay in the north.

Spurs have not yet abandoned hope of talking him into following former Liverpool skipper Jamie Redknapp from Merseyside to north London but they face competition from Sunderland, Middlesbrough and newly-promoted Manchester City for the disaffected 28-year old.

Sunderland manager Peter Reid is under acute pressure to make significant improvements to his struggling side after coming under fire from supporters during the Wearsiders' recent slide towards relegation trouble.

With Kevin Phillips expected to end months of speculation by, ironically, joining Spurs at the end of the campaign, Barmby's impressive scoring record for a midfielder would be an added bonus for Reid's goal-starved team.

Barmby and his wife still have a family home in their native Hull and, while not dismissing Spurs out of hand, he would rather avoid the disruption of moving back to the capital.