With Spurs manager Harry Redknapp hinting that he’s likely to make one big signing this summer, reports have surfaced that the target is Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano. Redknapp is said to be willing to bid $26 million for the 29-year-old Brazilian international. Fabiano is in his fifth season at Sevilla and has 17 goals on the season, and 25 in 36 games for Brazil.
LONDON (AP) -Gareth Bale has signed a four-year extension to his Tottenham contract after helping the side capture a place in Champions League.
The 20-year-old Welsh international left back, who arrived as a 17-year-old from Southampton in May 2007, has had his best season so far. His ability to create and score goals helped Spurs rise to a top-four finish in the Premier League and a place in Champions League qualifying.
Bale, who can also play left-sided midfield and has scored five goals in 75 appearances, netted recent winners against both Chelsea and Arsenal.
He made his debut for Wales at age 16 and has played 24 times for his country, scoring twice.
Tottenham secure that final coveted Champions league spot with a 1-0 win over Manchester City. Check the video below for highlights…
Born on July 30th 1964 in Göppingen, Jürgen Klinsmann started his career in the second division club Stuttgart Kickers in 1982. When he two years later became topascorer in the division, the big club in the city, Vfb Stuttgart signed him. He would spend his next five seasons there and achived much success, both personally and with the team. 1988 was his first big year. He was topscorer of the Bundesliga and was voted “German Player of the Year”. Only set-back was the defeat to Holland on homeground in the European Championship.
In the summer of 1989 Klinsmann went abroad. his new club was Inter Milan. He joined fellow countrymen Lothar Matthäus and Andreas Brehme in a great team that mopped up the Serie A title in their first season. Klinsmann was a continental player, who could easily adapt to new cultures. He played top level football in England, Italy, Germany and France. And France was to be his next destination as he signed for them in 1992. But two years before that, in 1990, he won the World Cup with West Germany in Italy. He played five of the games on his homeground in Milan which made the triumph even more special. Klinsmann was now established as one of the greatest strikers in world football and after two seasons in Monaco without winning any major trophies, it was time to defend Germany’s title in the World Cup in America. “Klinsi” was now 30 years old and at the peak of his career. He scored five goals and personally had a great tournament, but the rest of the German heros from 1990 had become too old and failed to reach the standards required of winning a World Cup. Bulgaria won 2-1 in the quarterfinal, and Klinsmann’s tears after the game summed it up.
His journey through Europe continued and England and Tottenham Hotspur was next stop. He became an instant hit at White Hart Lane, and was voted “English Player of the Year” in 1995. A year later he won the European Championship with Germany at Wembley. He captained the winning side, despite being injured and missed some games. After only one season at Tottenham he joined Bayern Munich, and later Sampdoria, before returning back to Spurs to save them from relegation in 1998. A mission he accomplished. Klinsmann announced he would retire after the World Cup in France 1998. He had been critisized in the press for being “over the hill”. But in the World Cup he scored three goals as Germany once again bowed out in the quarterfinals, this time to Croatia. With 108 caps and nearly 50 goals, he is one of the legends in German football.
Manchester United has made Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric its No. 1 summer transfer target. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing a $38 million bid for the 24-year-old Croatian midfielder. Ferguson sees Modric as a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes. Modric originally signed for Spurs in 2008 from Dinamo Zagreb for a fee of $25 million. It’s believed that United could also offer midfielder Michael Carrick in part payment.
(AP) — LONDON (SE) – Sir Alex Ferguson hailed veteran Ryan Giggs after champions Manchester United had surged back to the top of the Premier League by beating fourth-placed Tottenham 3-1 at Old Trafford.
The dependable Welsh midfielder, an integral part of the Ferguson success story, scored two penalties as Spurs fell away at the death.
Remarkably they were first two penalties converted by Giggs in the Premier League and they could not have come at a better time for United.
As a result of United’s win, they went a point above morning leaders Chelsea who have a match in hand at home to Stoke on Sunday.
Ferguson said: “Wayne Rooney was injured on Thursday, a groin problem which will probably keep him out of the team for two or three weeks.
“We had to find another penalty-taker and Ryan was the man. You always know he will never let you down.”
United went into the match without Rooney, England captain Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville against a Spurs side who had won seven of their last eight games.
For almost an hour in a low key affair, neither side could impose control but then came United’s first penalty.
Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto brought down Patrice Evra and Giggs easily beat Heurelho Gomes with his spot kick.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp sent on Aaron Lennon for his first appearance in four months after 66 minutes in place of David Bentley and four minutes later they got an equaliser.
The dangerous Gareth Bale took a corner on the left and Ledley King rose above the United defence to score with a powerful header from eight yards.
Peter Crouch replaced Roman Pavlyunchenko as Tottenham went in search of a winner but they were undone by two goals in the last nine minutes.
Federico Macheda set up the United second goal after 81 minutes and finished with a classy chip over Gomes by Nani.
The third came in the dying seconds as Wilson Palacios brought down Nani, a more controversial decision than the clear-cut first, and Giggs made no mistake again.
Disappointed Redknapp felt Spurs were on the way to an amazing triple win, adding United to the their title rivals when the score got back to 1-1.
Redknapp said: “We played some good stuff for the first half but then we gave away a penalty, no complaints about that one, and it could have knocked us back.
“But Ledley got a goal soon after that and I felt we could go on and win from there.
“I was disappointed with the goals we conceded. They were down to sloppy defending. I told my players before the game to stay on their feet and not to dive in.”
Ferguson refused to consider his team were now favourites to retain their Premier League title.
“I think it will go right down to the last match. Nothing has been decided today but Chelsea are under pressure to catch us up.”
Sir Alex Ferguson has identified Tottenham‘s left back Gareth Bale as one of his prime summer targets and is said to be willing to pay $30 million to secure his services. A deal for the 20-year-old Bale, 20, could even be discussed when the two clubs meet at Old Trafford on Saturday and the player is understood to be aware of United’s interests. Primarily a left back, Bale can also play left wing. It’s not the first time United have shown interest in him. Ferguson first attempted to sign Bale in 2007, when fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs tried to persuade him to move to Old Trafford.
