Reports have suggested Tottenham intend bidding once more for Wayne Routledge, despite Martin Jol insisting this week that the club wouldn’t try to match Crystal Palace’s valuation of the player.
However, even an increased offer for the 20-year-old isn’t likely to sway Palace chairman Simon Jordan into selling Routledge unless a new bid comes close to £4.5m.
Routledge definitely wants to leave Palace, either this month or in the summer and blames his decision on the problems surrounding contract talks with Jordan, rather than the lucrative offer made in December not being satisfactory. "Everything has not gone as smoothly as it should have. It started when the club was supposed to open negotiations with me about a new contract on my 18th birthday. It never happened then or after we got promoted to the Premiership," he said after declining the new package.
Spurs are also keen to pull off the signings of two players from the Championship league, according to the same report. Frank Arnesen will endeavour further to sign wideman Andy Reid. Nottingham Forest rejected a £5m bid from Spurs last summer. The report also suggested Tottenham have tabled a £1m bid to lure teenager Tom Huddlestone from Derby County. The Nottingham-born player, who made his debut as a 16-year-old at the start of last season, plays in midfield although some feel that centre-half could prove to be his best position.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Tom's been attracting interest from Premiership clubs because he's a very exciting young player but I've certainly not spoken to Tottenham and as far as I'm aware there's been no bid," said Rams manager George Burley.