Tottenham Hotspur start Premier League preseason with defeat of Exeter City

16 July 2009 10:24
Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, fielded two different teams in either half with David Bentley, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Pascal Chimbonda and Darren Bent, all linked with moves away, involved. In the first half, Bentley featured with Jamie O'Hara giving Spurs the lead. For the second 45 minutes, Pavlyuchenko and Bent replaced Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane in attack. Aaron Lennon and Bent added goals to set Redknapp's team up for a winning start. Now Redknapp, whose team plays Bournemouth on Friday and Peterborough, next Tuesday, will turn his attention to boosting his squad ahead of the Wembley Cup clash with Barcelona at Wembley next Friday. And having had Leeds prospect Fabian Delph watched last weekend, he is set to make a £6 million offer for the 19-year-old. Bentley, wanted by Aston Villa, may have to wait to leave White Hart Lane after Martin O'Neill moved for Stewart Downing and Manchester City have emerged as the latest suitors for the England winger. The first man in, though, could be Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the Real Madrid striker, with Spurs maintaining their interest in the Dutchman. However, Stuttgart have already offered around £15m for Huntelaar and Spurs are working hard on the fact that the striker would prefer a move to the Premier League. Spurs would match Huntelaar's £75,000-a-week wages but will hope that Real will accept the transfer fee in instalments.

Source: Telegraph