Premier League - Arshavin next as Spurs land Bentley

Eurosport - Fri, 01 Aug 07:44:00 2008

Tottenham Hotspur have signed England winger David Bentley from Blackburn Rovers for a fee that could reach £17 million, and could also add Andrei Arshavin.

FOOTBALL 2007 David Bentley England Under-21s - 0

Blackburn have received £15m up front, with a further £2 dependent of future performances, for Bentley, who has signed a contract for "up to six years".

However, they may have to hand £6m to his former club Arsenal, who are believed to have negotiated a 40 percent sell-on clause when they sold Bentley in 2006.

The 23-year-old right-sided midfielder, billed as the 'new David Beckham', was presented at a new conference at which he said: "It means the world to join Tottenham.

"Gazza was my favourite player, all my mates are Tottenham fans and there's a piece of my heart at this club.

"I didn't think they would be interested in me and when it became available there was nowhere else I wanted to go."

Bentley now travels to Holland to meet his new team-mates and play in the Feyenoord Jubileum Tournament in Rotterdam this weekend, but manager Juande Ramos said he was not sure whether he would play.

"I'm sure he will bring the best ability to our team and we can help him maximise his potential," he said.

"We are in a state of preparation now, it's pre-season, we are trying to share out the players on the field. We'll assess him fitness-wise and try and get him into the team as soon as possible."

The winger made just nine appearances at Highbury but will join Sol Campbell as the only high-profile players to feature for Arsenal and Spurs in the modern era.

Bentley has a spiky relationship with fans for his outspoken honesty, and the first derby against Arsenal this season will be on October 29 at the Emirates Stadium.

Ramos has plenty of options in midfield, with Aaron Lennon already in Bentley's position, but he is still short on firepower following Robbie Keane's departure to Liverpool.

Dimitar Berbatov is also tipped to leave for Manchester United and was left out of Wednesday's friendly victory against Leyton Orient.

Meanwhile, Arshavin's agent, Dennis Lachter, claimed on Wednesday night that Spurs should conclude a deal for the Russian playmaker "in the next five days".

Russia forward Arshavin has been subject of interest from Spurs and Zenit St Petersburg have invited them to make a bid upwards of £20million.

According to Arshavin's agent, personal terms have been agreed and a deal could be struck by the weekend if the two clubs can agree a fee.

Lachter, Arshavin's representative, told Sky Sports News: "I am very optimistic about this deal but it is not easy - as usual with Russian clubs.

"The next few days will see if he can confirm this move to Spurs.

"Andrei likes the way Juande Ramos is going to play at Tottenham and this is the main point of our decision - not only the money but the desire of the manager to have the player."

Of his hopes for when the deal might be completed, Lachter added: "I hope in the next five days, maximum."

Arshavin, who caught the eye at Euro 2008, told Sport Express in Russia: "I have already taken a final decision. It only remains to finalise it with the club management."

Alex Chick + Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 129 - 148 of 148

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. i'll say this one comment and read it you halfwits:

    You're only as good as your last season. One bit of silverware and one thrashing of Arsenal will ring around this season because it was last season not 3-10yrs ago!! Arsenal admit it your club needs a breath of fresh air and i do believe arsene will find them as he is a very good manager however for a while you'll have to accept 4th and no silverware.

    Oh and i've never been a prem supporter as half the fans in the prem couldn't even tell you the nearest train station or road next to their 'beloved' ground.

    Well done for spurs paying too much for a player welcome to the ways of the top 4 however spending too much doesnt quite put you in the same quality...GO ON YOU SHRIMPERS!!

    From keith_howell_48@..., on Fri 1 Aug 2:40PM

  2. have you noticed all these arse fans bleating about when we beat them 5-1 but when was the last time they humiliated us with a proper thrahing cant think of the last time they beat us 5-1 only ever 1-0 or 2-1 we might not win that much against them but when we do we do it in style yid army forever

    From freshski99@..., on Fri 1 Aug 7:24AM

  3. Spurs r powerfull in ways but i think they need to show how powerfull they are.I do believe that Spurs will reach the Top 6 for all the players we that r coming in.

    From xchloexfooty, on Fri 1 Aug 7:16AM

  4. I think Spurs will finish in the top 6 this season, Ramos is building a good foundation, but like most Spurs fans he has to get a more secure defence,King is good when hes playing.the futures bright the futures blue and white.
    Jimbo.

    From jim, on Fri 1 Aug 6:02AM

  5. it's ok, arsenal did play bad and deserve to lose 5-1, right keith_howell_48 ? but let me see, on what other occasions u can brag about ur win against arsenal ? hmmm.. oh wait, spurs haven't won against arsenal in like, ages right ? i mean, it's definitely gotta be more than 5 years since the last time spurs beat arsenal right ? oh well.

    my time to brag : i remember arsenal clinching the premiere league title during their invincibles season at no other than, white hart lane ! gee, that's surely better than beating arsenal once in 5 years...

    From imran, on Fri 1 Aug 4:12AM

  6. you know it is really interesting to see how juande ramos has been strengthinin his squad for the comin season... bently is an amazin buy... but then again you've got to ask "why the hell would you buy dos santos?".. i mean credit to the lad for his technical abilities but i dont think its gonna be hard for defenders to win the ball from this lad once he encounters the physical side of the premiership..

    From maurozahed, on Fri 1 Aug 1:06AM

  7. David Bentley , A world class attacking forward , England Regular , an impressive array of winners medals, MY ARSE,sorry he is just an average premiership player, ha ha , wot a waste of moneeeee, Desperate Spurs, youll miss KEANO ha ha ah hah ha i better go before ill piss on my sofa, night night

    From steve.63brooks@..., on Fri 1 Aug 12:43AM

  8. i love all the gooners defending the 5-1 loss, it doesnt matter what team you played it states in black and white 5-1!! not a team sheet or who had a cold. For a top four team in the 2nd line up should be good enough to manage a 1-0 loss no excuses for losing 5-1!!

    Give up arguing people bentley'll prob be injured all season like all good 15mil+ players nowadays....

    From keith_howell_48@..., on Fri 1 Aug 12:20AM

  9. However much it hurts to say i think spurs are moving in the right direction, but i am £500 better off from the last spurs fan who bet me they would finish above Arsenal! We lost Henry and yeah it hurt but we played as a better unit last year, spurs have lost a far more influencial player in Keane. He is a more influencial player to spurs than Henry was to Arsenal because we had other quality which the other side of north london just doesnt have, spurs like so many other clubs show no patience you had a good manager in Jol he had a rubbish start to one season and bye bye, i dont think spurs will go any higher than they have, if these young players were all that they would be in red and white or dirty manc colours

    From adam m, on Fri 1 Aug 12:17AM

  10. cant see them getting arshavin to be honest.
    he has said he has his heart set on a arsenal move so why would he want to go to a second rate club like spurs?

    From shaunadio, on Thu 31 Jul 11:17PM

  11. Tottenham have ambition no doubt about that,and l admire Levy for that,in spite of him being an odd dude.Lets hope Ramos has the ability to keep Spurs in europe each year,otherwises top players will leave and spurs finances will collapse.After the league cup triumph,spurs,under Ramos had some of the most appalling results.He blamed lack of motivation of players,but that is his job.He is the world's second highest paid manager and those excuses and results were pathetic.Thumbs down Berbatov,thumbs up Levy,thumbs sideways Ramos

    From NW36HS, on Thu 31 Jul 10:53PM

  12. ming ping boogie bog ting tong tang klop

    From Sean, on Thu 31 Jul 10:37PM

  13. o.k mr david leary7. i hit the 2 button instaed of 3.but that doesn't hide the fact that arsenal are not even a top 3 team anymore, lucky to be a top 4 team! and the only rivalry they have is who has the biggest pay check!we only care about english teams!

    From stedy, on Thu 31 Jul 9:20PM

  14. All the gooners and haters, coming out in force. We never said we'll get top 4, but we have a chance. If i were the gooners, i'd be starting to get worried. Even with Berba going, Keano gone. We're far stronger, than we were or we have ever been.

    May not be this season, may not even be next, but we're getting stronger and stronger. Just look how we've gone from a @#$% midfield, to one that rivals anyone's in the league.

    Future's bright, future's lilywhite.

    From Karl G, on Thu 31 Jul 9:17PM

  15. Tottenham have the ability to crack the top 4.. Especially if they start signing these big name youngsters! Arsenal and Liverpool should watch out! United and Chelsea are still pretty untouchable.. Another tight race in 08-09 between United and Chelsea with Manchester, of course, coming out on top! GO UNITED!

    From matrix1493, on Thu 31 Jul 8:51PM

  16. ppl will have to count with tottenham in 2 yrs from now. My only concern is the coaching, if the coaching and the style of play are right this time has everything to be successful. The big four are not spending on the recruits of tottenham ? so it would mean they are no good ? thats a statement with no sense. The big four has already enough players to aim for glory. they wont buy just to buy. that the only reason. Tottenham is proving to make some smart recruting i really like. dos santos, bentley, arschavin, modric.talent is there !! definetely. they are still very young but the prospects are great.

    From lionhell, on Thu 31 Jul 8:36PM

  17. if arshavin ,bentley etc were any good the big 4 would be in for them.spurs are just trying to buy trophies like chelsea! it wont last niether will ever be bigger than arsenal man u and liverpool you cant buy history!

    From agough08@..., on Thu 31 Jul 8:20PM

  18. Spurs will finish top six this year. That much is true. Top 4? Not Just Yet. Shore Up your defense Ramos!

    From Irish Paul, on Thu 31 Jul 7:22PM

  19. judgepundit... your a half as fan and you know it. tottenham will give arsenal another 6 goal lashing and soon you'll be chanting COME ON YOU SPURS

    From enigo_montoya18, on Thu 31 Jul 7:20PM

  20. fcb_james celtic have beaten man u before they have even beaten ac milan. COME ON THE HOOPS!!

    From montaguereece, on Thu 31 Jul 6:28PM
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account