Despite paying an Henry for Darren Bent in the summer, Tottenham still have plenty of cash to splash.

The recent ill-fated £8 million bid for Alan Hutton proved as such, and they now face battles for a fresh trio of players.

Fiorentina defender Tomas Ujfalusi is a target, though the Czech international may be swayed in the direction of Juventus for some reason.

Former Chelsea defender Tiago Mendes wants to leave Juve, and his quest for regular first team football could lead him to White Hart Lane or, in the worst case scenario, to Boro.

Meanwhile, long term Spurs target Stewart Downing could finally be ready to fly the Riverside nest and become the first decent left-footed winger in N17 since the turn of the century.

However, they are almost certain to sign one international this January, as Jermain Defoe is close to signing a new contract worth £40k a week, proving that the benches at the Lane are the most comfortable in the land.

Another place where it all seems to be going off is Anfield, just a day after this page remarked on the lack of activity from Rafa Benitez. Coincidence?

In a desperate bid for Transfer Talk's approval, Liverpool have made a half-hearted approach for Wayne Bridge, which has been dismissed out of hand by Chelsea.

They are, however, close to signing Slovakian centre back Martin Skrtel from Zenit St Petersburg, who they won't need once Daniel Agger is fit again.

The Reds are also in the hunt for £1.5 million-rated 16-year-old Daniel Opare, currently plying his trade at Ashanti Gold in his native Ghana. The News of the World report that fellow Ghanian Michael Essien has recommended the Premier League the Opare, but that is probably just so they could use a picture of the Chelsea midfielder as they couldn't find one of the teenager.

Former Arsenal striker Arturo Lupoli wants to swap the culture and cafes of Florence for a return the Derby, home of the Bold Lane, the world's most secure car park.

Middlesbrough's deposed captain George Boateng could take his strop all the way down to Portsmouth, Blackburn and Sunderland will fight it out for Steve Sidwell and Gary Megson will take a trip north of the border and hopes to retrun with Celtic's Bobo Balde, Hibs' David Murphy and a tin of shortbread.

For those of you that have soldiered on this far, your reward is the news that Czech international midfielder Marek Matejovsky of Mlada Boleslav is on his way to Reading. Congratulations.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport