Aston Villa have moved to sign three players from Tottenham before the closure of the transfer window this evening. They announced the £2-million signing of Wayne Routledge last night and also attempted to push through deals for Pascal Chimbonda and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Chimbonda's departure from Spurs moved closer when the club said they had completed the £8-million signing of Alan Hutton from Rangers. The Scotland right-back has agreed a four-and-a-half-year contract worth £33,000 a week, having finally agreed to the transfer after appearing to undergo several changes of heart.
Chimbonda, a French right-back, who has been a Spurs regular since his switch from Wigan 18 months ago and played last night at Everton, has fallen from favour since the summer, when he was courted by Chelsea. He was granted a pay rise by the Spurs board but his demands prompted disquiet.
He saw the writing on the wall when the sporting director, Damien Comolli, signed the young full-back Chris Gunter from Cardiff City at the beginning of the month and began looking at Hutton.
Chimbonda has since been exploring exit routes. The stumbling block for Villa, though, may be his wages as he feels he is being forced out of a club where he earns £35,000 a week.
Villa's interest in Boateng came as a surprise. The German midfielder joined Tottenham in the summer from Hertha Berlin, in a £5-million deal, but he has not yet justified his fee.
Spurs are unwilling to take a significant loss on Boateng so soon after signing him and the prospect of Villa making an acceptable offer looked slim last night. Newcastle, however, were also monitoring the situation.
Routledge signed for Spurs in July 2005, for £2 million from Crystal Palace, but he has struggled. He was loaned to Portsmouth for the second half of his first season and spent most of last season at Fulham. Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager, believes he could offer cut and thrust on the right of midfield, as Ashley Young has already shown he can do for him on the left.
Tottenham have completed an £8-million deal for Jonathan Woodgate, the central defender from Middlesbrough, and may make a last-ditch attempt to sign Tiago Mendes from Juventus.
They have chased the former Chelsea midfielder, who is rated at £9 million, in recent weeks but Juventus have insisted they will not sell to Spurs, having grown frustrated with the negotiations.
Spurs also hope to conclude their protracted pursuit of Gilberto, Hertha Berlin's Brazilian left-back.
Meanwhile, David Beckham will find out today if he has jumped the first hurdle towards earning his 100th England cap next week. Fabio Capello will name a provisional squad for the Switzerland friendly before confirming his final selection at the weekend for the Wembley clash on Wednesday.
Franz Beckenbauer is the latest figure to call for Beckham to be granted his century, although there are concerns over the midfielder's match fitness as he has not played for two months.
With the season over for LA Galaxy, 32-year-old Beckham has been training with Arsenal but Capello also has Aaron Lennon, David Bentley and Shaun Wright-Phillips to choose from for his right winger.
Stuart Pearce has accepted a role in Capello's backroom staff for England's senior team while continuing as coach of the under-21s. Pearce (45), who has been suggested as an eventual England manager, will be involved in planning ahead of all senior games and sit in the England dug-out, starting at Wembley next Wednesday.
