Harry Redknapp admits Diego Forlan is out of Tottenham’s reach as he looks for a new striker

Diego Forlan, Atletico de Madrid (Getty Images)

Related Links

Teams

Players

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has said that although Spurs have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid forward Diego Forlan, they have no chance of signing the Uruguayan this summer.

Redknapp is seeking a proven goalscorer after admitting his current strikers have not scored as many as they should have done, but former Manchester United star Forlan is, it seems, out of his reach.

“We can’t afford him. He’s on about £120k a week or something,” Redknapp said in an article in The Telegraph.

“If you work it out on a two or three-year contract, you’re talking about £28 million and there’s no return on your money.”

Tottenham have enjoyed a fine season to date, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and remaining in contention to qualify for next year’s competition.

But midfielders Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale are Spurs’ top scorers in the Premier League this term, with 12 and seven goals, respectively, and Redknapp wants more from his strikers.

“It’s been one of those years,” he said. “Normally Jermain Defoe would have had 18 goals by now. He hasn’t got them this year, Crouchy Peter Crouch hasn’t scored many, he’s scored his goals in Europe. We’re still in it without the frontmen having scored the goals they should have done.”

“I’d like to get another front man if I can. They’re difficult to find though.

“We went for Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi last year and he was suddenly £35 million. We could have had him before for £18 million. But we didn’t do it.

“We’re looking for strikers, not £35 million ones, they’re hard to find because everyone’s looking for them. That’s why Fernando Torres was £50 million. The good ones cost fortunes, don’t they?”

“It would be up to the chairman in terms of the cost. But we’ve been chasing all around the world, looking for people. They all cost big money.”