Spurs launch bid for Santa Cruz

Once again Harry Redknapp has come up with the story of the day by launching a shock £20m bid to snatch Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz away from Ewood Park from under the noses of Manchester City - with whom Redknapp seems to be fast developing something of a feud.

Sam Allardyce, the Blackburn manager, has so far resisted the overtures from City as he has not lined up a replacement, but Redknapp has a number of players – including Darren Bent and Jermaine Jenas – that he is prepared to swap, making a cash-plus-player deal for Santa Cruz a possibility.

The move comes after Spurs' attempts to sign Fred from Lyon descended into farce after Redknapp said the striker had failed to attend a meeting in London, an allegation that prompted the Brazilian to call Redknapp a "liar".

It is not the first row that the new Spurs boss has got inivolved in this transfer window, his pursuit of Kenwyne Jones ended with a row between Redknapp and Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia over "tapping up" allegations.

There has also been bad blood over the Craig Bellamy transfer, and West Ham now say they will not sell players to Spurs.

TRANSFER TALK: SPURS

LAST UPDATED 11:49 AM, JANUARY 29, 2009