Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has played down his interest in Ruud
van Nistelrooy but revealed there is English interest in Roman
Pavlyuchenko.
Redknapp admitted on Tuesday that he would be interested in
signing Van Nistelrooy, but only if he could offload unsettled
Pavlyuchenko.
But the Spurs boss has now gone on to explain his interest in
the Real Madrid striker has not been followed up to any real
extent.
"I don't even think we've gone that far," admitted Redknapp.
"It was just his name cropped up and Ian Broomfield, the chief
scout, spoke with his agent and that's as far as it's gone really.
"I've got four strikers here at the moment so I certainly
don't want five, it would be a bigger problem, I don't need that
problem."
Pavlyuchenko wants a return to Russia after his unhappy spell
at Spurs but although Zenit St Petersburg have made their interest
in him known, no deal is likely at this stage.
"I think Zenit have been in and made contact with the
chairman, I don't know where it's at with that one. I think there's
been one or two English clubs interested as well.
"I'm not sure if he will be here at the end of January. It
won't bother me, if he's here, great. I'm pleased to have him here.
"He can play, he's just been unlucky. I've got Jermain Defoe,
Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane. I'm sure in the next three or four
games he'll get to play and start a game probably."
Meanwhile Redknapp has revealed his delight to be facing
Liverpool on Wednesday night with Crouch and Keane in his side
rather than the Merseysiders'.
Keane returned to Spurs after a short spell with the Reds but
Redknapp is reluctant to criticise Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.
"I didn't see Robbie play there," said Redknapp. "It's a game
of opinions and I wouldn't question Rafa's decision.
"He obviously wasn't crazy about him, but we've all done
that with players. You have players who other people think are
great and you don't think they're so great and you let them go.
"Everybody thinks why did you let them go but, at the end of
the day, the only person's opinion is the manager - we stand or
fall in what we believe in.
"He obviously saw he wasn't in Rafa's plans, obviously he
didn't fancy him that much."
Redknapp may be forced into the transfer market for a
centre-half with Jonathan Woodgate in America for treatment on his
long-standing groin problem and Ledley King still struggling with
his knee.
"Well, if I've only got two, and Ledley's long term, it's
going to be a problem, we'll have to look at it for sure," said
Redknapp.
"Woodgate is in America for a month having treatment on his
groin which is not good.
"Ledley's injury is long-term, there's nothing you can do
with that, that's been going on for years with Ledley."
