Arrivals/Rumours thread

[The Hat]

Apparently that Maarten Stekkelenberg keeper chap has said he's staying at Ajax until at least the end of the season...

Meanwhile, BBC reports that we're closing in on Tiago and Gilberto...

Spurs chasing Tiago and Gilberto  
 
Tiago (left) and Gilberto look set to move to White Hart Lane
Tottenham are closing in on a double swoop for Portuguese midfielder Tiago and Brazilian left-back Gilberto, BBC Sport understands.
A deal for Tiago, who used to play for Chelsea and is now at Juventus, should be completed in the next day or so.

Gilberto's contract expires in the summer and the 31-year-old looks set to complete his move from Hertha Berlin.

Tottenham's only signing so far in the January transfer window is Cardiff full-back Chris Gunter.

Manager Juande Ramos has been short of options in defence due to injuries and Gilberto's expected arrival should provide cover for Gareth Bale, who is out for up to three months with an injured foot.

The experienced Brazilian, who played for his national team at the 2006 World Cup, can also play in midfield.

Tiago, 26, joined Chelsea in 2004 for around £10m, but lasted just one season in the Premier League before moving to Lyon for £6.82m.

The Portugal international spent two years in France and signed for Juventus at the start of this season.

Tottenham have also been linked with an £8m move for Rangers right-back Alan Hutton, despite the player already rejecting a move to White Hart Lane.

[WexfordSpur]

Just goes to show there really are no valid sources for transfers - I guess we will stick to the TV and when we see the pictures of them signing we will know! Until then all else is BS!

[Jacko]

Rumours are interesting. But if you want to avoid the B.S. then just trust the only true reliable source, the Spurs official website. I'm sure I don't need to include this link but for fok's sake....

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com

COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!
COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!
COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!

[Biggs]

Valencia midfielder David Albelda claims Chelsea and Tottenham have expressed an interest in signing him.

The Spain international has fallen out of favour with Valencia boss Ronald Koeman - and admits he is "attracted" by the idea of a move to London.

The 30-year-old, quoted in The Independent: said "I am grateful to Tottenham and Chelsea for their interest but I cannot negotiate until I have sorted out my departure from Valencia.

"I am very attracted to playing in England and especially in London."

Albelda had blamed Koeman for Valencia's poor form, but was quickly slapped down by the Dutchman.

Koeman accused the midfielder of speaking "with a bad intention", and added: "He has been quiet for three weeks because the team were functioning better."

Would be a good signing i think

[The Hat]

According to today's Guardian online:

Tottenham have agreed a £7m deal with Middlesbrough for Jonathan Woodgate - and they are also hoping to tie up the signings of Tiago, Alan Hutton and Gilberto da Silva Mela before the transfer window closes.

Woodgate, who is known to have impressed Juande Ramos during the rare times he played for Real Madrid, will now head to London to discuss personal terms. However, the chances of Boro winger Stewart Downing joining Woodgate at White Hart Lane are now said to be "close to zero" by sources close to the deal.

Instead Spurs will redouble their efforts to sign Juventus midfielder Tiago for £9m - a deal they expect to go through when Mohamed Sissoko completes his move from Liverpool to Juve later today. The one sticking point remains Tiago's wages, with the midfielder wanting £50,000-a-week and Spurs offering £10,000-a-week less.

Elsewhere, Spurs believe they are close to agreeing a pre-contract deal with Hutton that would see the Rangers defender move to London during the summer, and they are also hopeful that the Hertha Berlin left-sided wingback Gilberto will be moving to London in a £2.5m deal after he fell out with his club over his demands for a new contract.

"[The move] is all in the hands of Dieter Hoeness [Berlin's general manager]," Gilberto told Bild. "If he says I may go, I am away." Hoeness, meanwhile, sounded just as trenchant: "Our entire recruitment budget for the winter break would be taken up meeting Gilberto's demands," he said.

These all look pretty decent signings to me really.

[WexfordSpur]

If Pascal goes, where would that leave us on the right until the summer - Yip?

[Blackjack]

Its just been announced that SPURS have traveled to Spain to sign CARLOS PAYOL from Barcelona AND Middlesborough HAVE ACCEPTED A BID from Spurs for Woodgate

[THWH90]

Yeh just heard that we are in for Carlos Puyol... Perhaps this is what Ramos means by bringing in the quality to push us forward???

On another note, a German source tells me that Gilberto will be announced as a Spurs player as soon as tomorrow!

[wee_fella]

Would never be able to get Puyol and I hate Woodgate so much.

[gilchristdm]

Would never be able to get Puyol and I hate Woodgate so much.

heard on sky sports at 15:35
woodgate has turned spurs down says he wants to go to newcastle
and they are in advanced talks

[craigavonyid]

first time ive ever heard of a rat returning to a sinking ship

[Dimitar B.]

If Pascal goes, where would that leave us on the right until the summer - Yip?

Chris Gunter
Phil Ifil

[The Deckchair]

I reckon we will see Woodgate, Gilberto, Miguel and Albelda in a Tottenham shirt reasonably pronto like.
Woodgate is nailed on and that is an awesome signing. Gilberto would be good, Miguel even better and Albelda is the experienced, gritty Defensive mid we have needed for ages. I hope tainio gets a run in the holding role though because he has done an amazing job so far.
Albelda is 30 though, so it'll only be for a couple of seasons.

[bradz1993]

I think you always need abit of experience in midfield, chelsea e.g. makalele, man u e.g. scholes.

[spurlin9]

Chris Gunter
Phil Ifil

Phil Ifil went to Colchester. Don't think Ramos will let Chimbo go without suitable cover coming in. Hutton perhaps??