Dunno wha Spurs are doing here, selling Robbie Keane and replacing him with a striker not nearly as good.
Bentley rolls into Spurs
31/07/2008 - 07:20:24
Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of England winger David Bentley from Blackburn Rovers and will now turn their attentions to bolstering their attack with Andrei Arshavin.
Bentley, 23, completed his medical on Wednesday night before the deal, worth £15m to Rovers, was sealed.
It is understood he has agreed a deal which could run for up to six years.
It looks set to be a productive few days after Arshavin’s agent, Dennis Lachter, claimed a deal should be concluded for the Russian playmaker “in the next five days”.
Spurs have called a press conference for Thursday morning to unveil Bentley before he travels to Holland to meet his new team-mates and play in the Feyenoord Jubileum Tournament in Rotterdam this weekend.
Rivals Arsenal, Bentley’s former club, stand to receive a percentage of the deal as part of the terms of his transfer to Ewood Park in 2006 after an initial loan spell.
The winger made just nine appearances under Arsene Wenger but will join Sol Campbell as the only high-profile players to feature for Arsenal and Spurs in the modern era.
Bentley has a spiky relationship with fans for his outspoken honesty, and the first derby against Arsenal this season will be on October 29 at the Emirates Stadium.
Spurs head coach Juande Ramos has plenty of options in midfield, with Aaron Lennon already in Bentley’s position, but he is still short on firepower following Robbie Keane’s departure to Liverpool and Dimitar Berbatov is also tipped to leave.
Russia forward Arshavin has been subject of interest from Spurs and Zenit St Petersburg have invited them to make a bid upwards of £20m.
According to Arshavin’s agent, personal terms have been agreed and a deal could be struck by the weekend if the two clubs can agree a fee.
Lachter, Arshavin’s representative, told Sky Sports News: “I am very optimistic about this deal but it is not easy – as usual with Russian clubs.
“The next few days will see if he can confirm this move to Spurs.
“Andrei likes the way Juande Ramos is going to play at Tottenham and this is the main point of our decision – not only the money but the desire of the manager to have the player.”
Of his hopes for when the deal might be completed, Lachter added: “I hope in the next five days, maximum.”
Arshavin, who caught the eye at Euro 2008, told Sport Express in Russia: “I have already taken a final decision. It only remains to finalise it with the club management.”
Bentley is the latest of the radical changes at Spurs this summer, with Heurelho Gomes replacing Paul Robinson as first-choice goalkeeper.
Luka Modric will be the focal point of the midfield after arriving from Dinamo Zagreb, while Giovani dos Santos has been bought from Barcelona and can play as alongside the Croatia international or as a support striker.
Dos Santos will take the number 17 which was occupied last season by Kevin-Prince Boateng, who has struggled to make an impact since arriving from Hertha Berlin.
Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio, Steed Malbranque, Younes Kaboul and Anthony Gardner have all been allowed to leave, and Spurs will listen to offers for Paul Stalteri, Young-Pyo Lee, Ricardo Rocha and Hossam Ghaly.
Meanwhile, midfielder Jermaine Jenas and centre-back Michael Dawson have signed one-year contract extensions, keeping them at White Hart Lane until 2013.
