Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits his interest in Ruud van Nistelrooy has only got as far as a chance conversation between the club's chief scout and the player's agent.
Redknapp said he would be interested in signing Van Nistelrooy but only if he could offload unsettled Roman 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."
He added: "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."
Source: PA
