Spurs turn to Central America as search for striker continues
Published:Guiseppi Rossi, Diego Forlan, Fernando Llorente, Mirko Vucinic – all four have been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur but none have ever looked like moving to White Hart Lane.
Rossi proved too expensive, Vucinic opted for Juventus over Spurs while Forlan and Llorente look likely to remain in Spain for the time being.
Tottenham’s search for a striker has been an arduous one but Harry Redknapp may have found an answer in FC Twente’s Bryan Ruiz.
“They have approached my agent,” said Ruiz. “I was told about Tottenham’s interest two days ago. Spurs are a great club. I’d say that the chance that I’ll leave Twente is 50 per cent.”
With Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavyluchenko and Peter Crouch spearheading the Tottenham attack, Redknapp has been very keen to get a big-name striker in to prove that the club remain ambitious despite missing out on the Champions League last season.
However Redknapp has been knocked back time and again in his efforts to lure Europe’s top strikers to White Harte Lane, but while Ruiz isn’t the household name Spurs fans would like the 25-year-old could have a huge impact in the Premier League.
Two seasons ago Ruiz was widely regarded as the strongest player in the Eredivisie scoring 24 goals in 34 appearances, including a 10-match goalscoring streak, as he led his team to their first Eredivisie title.
Having decided to stay he became a big hit at Twente, but last season saw Ruiz hit with a number of niggling injuries and while he started 24 matches, he only managed nine goals.
Twente signed Ruiz for £5m in 2009 and the striker has a £13.75m release clause in his contract.
Redknapp would be confident of securing the striker for around £10m which would be a fee that would appeal to Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy.
