Spurs clear-out gathers pace

14 April 2012

Glenn Hoddle's major clear-out at Tottenham could accelerate in the next 48 hours with four stars who cost the club more than £20million being removed from the wage bill.

Former England midfielder Darren Anderton looks set to revive his free transfer switch to newly-promoted Portsmouth - where former Spurs team-mates Teddy Sheringham and Tim Sherwood are already signed up.

Full back Ben Thatcher has agreed a cut-price switch to Leicester while Steffen Iversen is in negotiations with a third Premiership promotion-winner Wolves, who are also claimed to be interested in offering a loan deal to Spurs' record signing Sergei Rebrov.

Ukraine striker Rebrov cost £11million when signed from Dynamo Kiev three years ago but never fulfilled his talent in the Premiership under former Spurs boss George Graham and was soon cast aside by Hoddle when he took over as manager.

The player was loaned to Fenerbahce in January but the Turkish club have now released him and his agent Sandor Varga said: "There is interest in Sergei from Wolves which he would be pleased to examine as an option."

Wolves' discussions with Norway striker Iversen are believed to be at an early stage but Tottenham are almost certain to take a loss on a player who cost them £2.6million when signed by Gerry Francis in December 1996.

Iversen, 26, managed only nine starts last season, and that was one less than defender Thatcher, who cost £5million from Wimbledon three years ago but complained last season he had been frozen out by Hoddle.

Leicester are set to complete the formalities of his transfer to the Walkers Stadium after both clubs and the player agreed terms. The fee has yet to be revealed but Thatcher will be Leicester's eighth signing since they won promotion and manager Micky Adams said: "I have been on his trail for some time and I'm delighted everything has now been agreed.

"He is a tenacious defender with good pace and good Premiership experience. He will have a medical and hopefully everything will be done in time for him to travel with us to Finland next week."

Anderton, at least, has given Spurs plenty of service - despite his own well-publicised injury problems - during 11 years since his £2million move from Portsmouth.

But Tottenham could end up paying off the remainder of his current contract - which has a year to run - under terms of a deal proposed for his return to the south coast club.

The move broke down earlier this week when Anderton, 31, stayed in La Manga, Spain with the Spurs squad for pre-season training instead of making contact with Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric who had reportedly offered him a £20,000-a-week three-year contract.

Mandaric immediately called the deal off after Anderton failed to make the deadline but Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp remained hopeful of reviving it and Hoddle said today: "It could be still on - even done and dusted by tonight, but it is a complicated situation."

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