Forlan is on a £100,000 a week
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp feels Diego Forlan's wage demands could rule out a deal for the Atletico Madrid player.Redknapp and his assistant, Kevin Bond, were in the Spanish capital on Wednesday to watch the former Manchester United striker in the second leg of the Copa Del Rey quarter-final which Atletico lost 1-0 to Real Madrid.
"Diego Forlan has been mentioned but we are not going to get near their wages," said Redknapp. "They are on £100,000 plus a week - they are not going to come here.
"The chairman would not be paying 100k or more a week to players that is for sure.
"Forlan's an interesting player. I didn't speak to anyone last night about him, I just went and watched the game really."
The Spurs boss admitted that the Uruguayan international was the type of player that would fit in well at White Hart Lane - before revealing that he was pick pocketed before the Madrid derby.
"He's a good player. But it was difficult to concentrate on the game, because I got mugged before the game. Well, not mugged, I got my pockets picked. Unbelievable!
"I'm walking round the outside of the stadium, it's a fantastic atmosphere, there's all little stalls there selling sweets.
 Last season Forlan led Atletico to the Europa League title |
"I got some sweets, me and Kevin, and it was so packed. The next thing there's two guys on their knees in front of me and I felt someone pull my overcoat.
"I thought 'What are they doing?'. I went to put my hand in my pockets and realised what they'd done."
One player who could be on his way out of Spurs is Croatian midfielder, Niko Kranjcar with the 26-year-old having met with Redknapp earlier this this week following the signing of Steven Pienaar from Everton.
"Niko really is looking to move. I had a chat with him yesterday and he wants to play," added Redknapp.
"He wants to play and he doesn't like playing on the right. He is not happy there. It doesn't suit him, he wants to play off the left but Gareth [Bale] has been playing there and been playing fantastic. He understands that.
"He'd like to play and I understand that and I've told him if someone comes in for him he can go. Unless he can find a good club here then I think he'll go abroad.
"I think he'd look to go permanently. He's well regarded around the world, he's an international player, he got goals the other week for Croatia in their last two games and he plays on the world stage. People know what a good player he is. He could play at a top team anywhere."
Redknapp also revealed that captain, Ledley King - who has only made seven appearances for Spurs this season - was not yet a certainty for the club's 25-man Premier League squad which will be named at the end of the January transfer window.
The England international had looked set to return to the action this month having been sidelined for two months but pulled up in training last week with a groin injury.
"If the fitness coaches say that its going to be another couple of months or something then its going to be difficult because its a position we are well off in, at centre-half," said the manager.
"We are strong there - Kaboul is back and Gallas has been great with Dawson. Bassong has done a fantastic job when he has played. So they have all been in good form." |
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