Everton ‘to bid for Tottenham Hotspur's Peter Crouch’
English Premier League (EPL) outfit Everton are reportedly set to make a bid for Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch — with Steven Pienaar being offered as a makeweight in a swap deal.
Everton boss David Moyes has been trying to snap up the England international for around a month after he found out which Spurs players could be allowed to leave, as Harry Redknapp tries to raise funds for new signings.
According to the Daily Mail, the clubs are reportedly in advanced talks over a transfer that would see Pienaar — who has less than a year to run on his contract, and is refusing to extend his stay at Goodison Park — move to White Hart Lane with the fees involved yet to be determined.
Keen on South Africa star
Redknapp has long been keen on South Africa international midfielder Pienaar and had chief scout Ian Bloomfield watch him in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EPL on Saturday. After missing out on Stephen Ireland — who moved to Aston Villa from Manchester City as part of a deal for James Milner — and Scott Parker, who will not be allowed to leave West Ham United, Redknapp has put Pienaar at the top of his shopping list.
Moyes had wanted to hang on to the 28-year-old, but will not risk losing him for nothing next summer or for a nominal fee in January. He has been keen to sign a forward with Louis Saha failing to find the net regularly, Yakubu Ayegbeni being strongly linked with a move to West Ham United, and Jermaine Beckford asked to be the club’s main striker after stepping up a division from Leeds United.
Wage demands
One sticking point in any deal could be Crouch’s wage demands. However, a deal could be struck with Spurs that would see him granted a substantial pay-off from his current employers that would subsidise his earnings.
Though the deal has been described as ‘close’ by those involved in the talks, Redknapp would have to bring in another striker to compensate for the loss of Crouch.
Tags: