Martinez, Huntelaar, Barry, Veltman, Iturbe

It will soon be a transfer window so we can be linked with every striker under the sun. The press are just warming up on that front with suggestions we are two old favourites.

Martinez, Huntelaar, Barry, Veltman, Iturbe


Both strikers have been linked with Spurs before, 30 year-old Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, currently at Schalke and 27 year-old Jackson Martinez at Porto.

The suggestion is that Daniel Levy has met with the representatives of Martinez and will put in a bid of £18 million. Several factors make the story unlikely. First it appears in the Metro, second we don't even know who our manager will be next season so signing or bidding for players before we have a new manager is absurd.

As Tim Sherwood has pointed out the manager has the last say at White Hart Lane on player purchases.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has said he is happy at Schalke and will discuss a new contract when the season ends.

He told German paper Bild earlier this season:

"Of course I think about playing in England now and again, but right now my focus is on Schalke and the second half of the season.

"I still have a year and a half on my contract and I think a decision over my future will be made half a year before that expires.

"I want to play to 40. I want to play another 10 years of football. I feel young and fit."

It doesn't take much for the press then to start linking him with every club who may need a striker.

A midfielder we are being linked with is Gareth Barry, quite why I'm not sure, where on earth would he play. We have an abundance of midfielders and three holding midfielders. If Frank de Boer comes in then Barry is getting a bit long in the tooth to have the energy to play in his system, the guy is 33 and is not worth £80,000 a week, Everton have offered him £50,000 let them keep him.

Quite how he fits in with a buy young and improve them to increase their value transfer policy I don't know. He isn't needed at White Hart Lane.

One thing that is needed is a centre-back and the name in the frame, well the next name in the frame as there have been many is an Ajax player, Joel Veltman. The Daily Telegraph suggest we are in a fight with Arsenal. Perhaps signing the Ajax Head Coach will make a difference in where the 22 year-old goes.

Popping out to the wing and the Daily Mail suggest we are after 20 year-old Porto winger Juan Iturbe. The Argentinian is on loan at Hellas Verona where he has scored 6 goals from 27 starts.