Redknapp needs two players to put Spurs on track for top four

Jack Pitt-Brooke
Tuesday 17 May 2011 00:00 BST
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Tottenham's strikers, including Defoe, have not come up to expectations
Tottenham's strikers, including Defoe, have not come up to expectations (GETTY IMAGES)

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Harry Redknapp is looking for "one or two players" in the summer as he tries to prepare his Tottenham squad for another push for the top four next season. Redknapp admitted that he needed players who would "make the difference", as Luis Suarez has at Liverpool since January, and said that he would "go abroad two or three times a week" in pursuit of talent.

Spurs' win over Liverpool on Sunday gives them the upper hand in pursuit of fifth place and an automatic spot in the Europa League, but they were not able to secure back-to-back Champions League qualification. Redknapp conceded yesterday that with Liverpool also improving there are six strong teams challenging for next season's top four, and that Tottenham, therefore, needed more quality throughout their squad.

"Hopefully, we can get one or two players in the summer," Redknapp said, "and improve again for next year because it is going to be hard.

"We have a big squad but what we need is one or two players who will make the difference to us. Liverpool have done that with Luis Suarez, he is going to be a big player, and we need to find one or two to keep us pushing for the top four."

One of the disappointments of Tottenham's season has been the form of their centre-forwards; Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko have scored 16 Premier League goals between them. Redknapp admitted yesterday that a new striker was his main summer priority. "We have some players to shift now," he said, "we have players on loan who will be coming back and I'm looking for a good frontman if I can find one.

"I went to the cup final in France on Saturday night, and I'm going to go abroad two or three times this week and keep following up leads and see what we come up with."

In last Saturday's Coupe de France final, Moussa Sow, Ligue 1's top scorer this season, played for Lille. The 25-year-old Senegalese has 21 league goals so far this year.

Redknapp may also recruit in central defence, after conceding that Jonathan Woodgate would probably not be offered a new contract when his current deal expires next month. Woodgate has made just four appearances in the last two seasons. "This is Jonathan's last year," Redknapp admitted. "He hasn't played for two years and I have to speak to Jonathan but it is going to be difficult."

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