Tottenham have stepped up their interest in West Ham defender
Anton Ferdinand and are on the verge of sealing a £6million
deal.
The 22-year-old, who has been on Spurs sporting director Damien
Comolli's wanted list for the past two years, has told friends he
is planning to make the switch.
Spurs are desperate to strengthen their defence because of
captain Ledley King's injury problems and they have set their
sights on Ferdinand after another target, Richard Dunne, indicated
he will stay at Manchester City.
Ferdinand has been a member of West Ham's first-team squad for
five years and was hugely impressive in his first season in the
Premier League in 2005-06. Although his form has been more
inconsistent since, Spurs are convinced he can thrive alongside
Jonathan Woodgate as a central defensive partnership.
West Ham have previously indicated they are willing to listen to
offers for Ferdinand with manager Alan Curbishley under pressure to
cut the Upton Park wage bill this summer.
The move will be another sign of Spurs' active work in the
transfer market, having already secured Luka Modric and agreed a
deal with Barcelona for Giovani dos Santos, while John Bostock will
join from Crystal Palace once his fee is decided by a tribunal.
However, Spurs look likely to miss out on another Spanish swoop
after Alvaro Negredo, of Almeria, admitted he was not interested in
a move to England.
The 22-year-old, who finished as the Spanish club's top-scorer
last season with 13 goals, said: "I don't think the time has come
to make the step to the Premier League."