Spurs keen on Negredo - but Real offer striker to Liverpool as bait for Alonso
03 Jul 2009 - 16:32:20
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign promising Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo.
Madrid have exercised a £4.3million clause to buy the 23-year-old back from Almeria and are set to receive about double that by selling him on this summer.
Spurs officials held talks with his agents Juanma Lopez and Alejandro Camano in London yesterday, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
But the former Rayo Vallecano player has also been offered to Liverpool once more in part-exchange for Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool and Madrid are said to be as far apart as £10m in their valuations of a joint transfer for Alonso and Anfield right-back Alvaro Arbeloa.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez is said to be a long-term admirer of Negredo. Roma and Genoa are also keeping tabs on a player who scored 19 goals in 35 games last season.
Spurs have already spoken to Madrid about Ruud van Nistelrooy and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, but they have not followed up with bids.
Meanwhile, Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina insists Benitez has no intention of selling Alonso.
'I believe that he (Benitez) has very clear ideas and his plan atthe moment is not to sell, it is to have a settled team,' said Reina. 'Anyone who wants to break up this team is going to have to paya lot of money.'
