Spurs ditch Bent but they want £12.5m

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Tottenham are ready to cut their losses after telling record-signing Darren Bent he can leave White Hart Lane.

Eyebrows were raised when Spurs spent £16.5million on Bent last summer, pipping West Ham to his signature.

Now Bent has been told he can go in this transfer window or in the summer and Spurs are willing to accept around £12.5m for the striker who has scored only three goals in 14 League appearances this season.

The 23-year-old England international has been a huge disappointment and is not rated by new manager Juande Ramos.

Bent was offered to Middlesbrough in Spurs' attempts to prise Stewart Downing away from Teesside. But Boro chairman Steve Gibson is holding out for a straight cash deal and will not sell the England winger for less than £12m.

Ramos has already told Jermain Defoe that he can leave and Lyon's Brazilian striker Fred has claimed that Spurs want to sign him as a replacement.

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BRAZIL star Fred hopes to complete his £8.5million move to Tottenham in the next 24 hours.

The striker (right) is set to turn down PSG and that will almost certainly mean Jermain Defoe leaving the Lane.

Lyon star Fred, 24, said: I hope my future will be sorted on Wednesday. I have two offers, one from Tottenham and one from Paris St Germain.

The president of Lyon has said I would prefer to go to PSG but thats not true. Ive not agreed terms with any club but Im waiting for them to come back to me.

Defoe, 25, insists he wants to stay with Tottenham, despite being told last week by boss Juande Ramos that he can go.

But Freds switch which we revealed last Wednesday would push the England hitman down to FIFTH in the pecking order.

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is standing by to offer him a way out with a move to Fratton Park.