Harry Redknapp has made a sensational bid to land Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
Mirror Sport understands talks have taken place at the highest level with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy prepared to sanction a loan deal and payment of nearly half the 26-year-old’s £170,000-a-week salary.
Adebayor fears that once £26million striker Mario Balotelli is fit the Italy striker will play ahead of him.
The outspoken former Arsenal marksman has already made it clear that he will leave Eastlands if he is not a regular in the first team this season.
City keeper Shay Given is already thought to be close to a move to Fulham today after being placed in a similar position by the elevation of Joe Hart to first-choice keeper.
Adebayor is unhappy at having played in only three of City’s five games so far.
Although he started the club’s Europa League play-off game away to FC Poli, he came on for just eight minutes of City’s opening Premier League game against Spurs.
He was also a substitute for City’s defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, coming on in the final 15 minutes.
Adebayor, who wants to stay in the Premier League, hit a respectable 14 goals in 28 appearances for City last season - even though the campaign was marred by suspension and the terrorist shootings at the Africa Cup of Nations.
It is understood the Togo striker would have no compunction about playing for Spurs - despite spending three years at the club’s rivals Arsenal - as long as he is able to gain regular first-team football.
Spurs boss Redknapp has already shown, with his signing of defender William Gallas, that he has no problem bringing in players across the north London divide.
Redknapp has been linked with moves for Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano, Villareal forward Giuseppi Rossi and AC Milan hitman Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
But he is a massive fan of Adebayor and Spurs have been pushing City hard for a deal.
Shay Given chooses to stay at Manchester City and fight for No1 place
Shay Given has decided to stay at Manchester City, turning down the chance to rejoin his former manager Mark Hughes at Fulham, after being persuaded to remove himself from the market on the eve of the transfer window deadline.
Given had initially reacted to losing his place to Joe Hart by informing City's manager, Roberto Mancini, that he wanted to leave the club. That immediately alerted Fulham, who have been looking for a goalkeeper so they can allow Mark Schwarzer to join Arsenal.
Since then, however, Given has had a series of meetings with Mancini and the club's football administrator, Brian Marwood, and slowly come round to the idea that he should stay in Manchester and try to dislodge Hart. That, in turn, threatens Arsenal's hopes of signing Schwarzer, with Hughes having already gone on record to say he would allow the deal to happen only if he had a replacement lined up.
Given has based his decision on the fact he joined City in the hope that he could win the first trophy of his career and that, by leaving for a smaller club, he could effectively be passing over that chance. He had also worried that he might jeopardise his place in the Republic of Ireland team but the manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, has assured him that is not the case.
City are involved in four competitions and Given was assured the club are taking them all seriously and that, at the very least, there will be opportunities for him to play in the Carling Cup and Europa League Mancini, who described him as being among Europe's five best goalkeepers last season, has made it clear he does not want to lose him.
After spending £126m this summer City will not be heavily involved on the final day of the transfer window, although Robinho is expected to complete his move to Milan almost two years to the day since becoming the most expensive player in English football.
Mino Raiola, an Italian agent acting on a mandate from Milan, arrived in Manchester today to discuss the deal. Raoila has spent the summer negotiating Mario Balotelli's move to City and Zlatan Ibrahimovic's to Milan and will spend tomorrow trying to arrange a fee for Robinho, the asking price being in the region of £18m with potential add-ons.
Roque Santa Cruz, another big-money signing who has endured a difficult time in Manchester, is giving serious thought to staying at City despite a loan offer from Lazio. The £17m signing from Blackburn Rovers is said to have reservations about leaving England and may reject the chance of playing in Serie A.
James Milner can give England manager Fabio Capello a sharper attacking thrust
Talking to James Milner at Carrington last week, I inquired about the cuts and bruises criss-crossing his shins. Had the wounds been the reason behind his Eastlands finger-pointing session with Steven Gerrard, the Liverpool captain? "No,'' Milner smiled, looking down at the lacerations, "this was all Glen Johnson."
As England resume training on Tuesday, it is worth remembering how dynamically Milner performed down the left against Johnson in Manchester City's 3-0 win. Even the physical stuff couldn't stop Milner.
Johnson and Milner were briefly England's right-sided partnership in South Africa, their understanding being a rare bright moment amid the gloom, but clearly Theo Walcott will start there when the road to Euro 2012 begins against Bulgaria on Friday.
Milner can work the left. So can Ashley Young, lively in the Hungary friendly, and Adam Johnson (although City believe him more effective on the right).
In Milner, Walcott and Adam Johnson, Capello possesses the sort of wide options that make Shaun Wright-Phillips's call-up so ludicrous and the contrived flirtation with David Beckham so laughable.
It should also ensure Gerrard plays central. A nation prays.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Blackpool are in talks with Strasbourg midfielder Mamadou Bah and have asked about taking forward Kyle Lafferty on loan from Rangers. Daily Mail
Juventus are trying to sign Arsenal defender Armand Traore on a year's loan. The Sun
Traore is also in demand at Birmingham who are looking to to sign Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb in a £4m deal. Daily Mail
West Ham have underlined their desire to keep midfielder Scott Parker after rejecting a fresh £7m bid from Tottenham. Daily Mail
Forward Eidur Gudjohnsen is ready to sign for Mark Hughes' Fulham on a year-long loan from Monaco today - after turning down Stoke City. Daily Mirror
Former Celtic and Hull striker Jan Venegoor of Hesselink has joined Rapid Vienna as a free agent. (The Sun)
Sunderland hope to sign Rennes' Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan, the man who missed a last-minute penalty against Uruguay at the World Cup, on a four-year deal. the Sun
Celtic could make a loan move for Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies, two years after he joined Villa from West Brom for £10m. Daily Mirror
OTHER BOLLOX
Aston Villa are being linked with a shock move for Everton boss David Moyes after the odds of the Scot's joining Villa were shortened considerably on Monday. Daily Mirror
They have also sounded out unsettled Birmingham manager Alex McLeish, and former Blues boss Steve Bruce, about taking over at Villa Park. (Daily Telegraph)
Another shock target for Villa is newly-appointed Fulham boss Mark Hughes, who was their original first-choice when Martin O'Neill resigned on 9 August. (The Times)
But United States national team coach Bob Bradley is out of contention after the club said one of its requirements for the successful candidate was Premier League experience. the Guardian
Villa defender Luke Young says he has no idea why he was frozen out by O'Neill and feels the club is a fairer place now he has gone. the Sun
Former West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is believed to be a surprise contender to take over the managerial vacancy at Southampton following the sacking of another former Hammers boss, Alan Pardew.Daily Express
American pop star Katy Perry has warned comedian fiance Russell Brand that she will not let him name any children they may have after West Ham players. the Sun
Argentina striker Francisco Varallo, the last surviving player from the inaugural 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, has died at the age of 100. (The Times)
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