Tottenham have started to plan for life without Robbie Keane by stepping up negotiations for a deal with Blackburn to buy England winger David Bentley.
Spurs and Aston Villa have already had bids turned down for the former Arsenal player but discussions about a fee have been resurrected, Rovers chairman John Williams has confirmed, which could lead to the 23-year-old arriving at White Hart Lane.
Blackburn value their player at around £17million, while Spurs are in the market for players following Keane's departure to Liverpool in a deal starting at £19million.
Bentley would provide direct competition for the same right-wing position as Aaron Lennon, who insisted earlier in the summer that he wanted to stay at Spurs. There is also the possibility of Lennon switching flanks to accommodate both players.
Head coach Juande Ramos is still in the market for an out-and-out striker, particularly with Dimitar Berbatov tipped to leave for Manchester United or Barcelona before the end of the transfer window.
Spurs are thought to be monitoring Roman Pavlyuchenko and have also been encouraged to bid for his Russian team-mate Andrei Arshavin. Real Zaragoza's Diego Milito has been suggested as a possible target.
At the moment, Ramos is short on firepower in attack and also needs to appoint a new vice-captain, although Keane was effectively the skipper the last season due to Ledley King's injury problems.
Darren Bent insists he is ready to fill the void left by Keane - and assistant boss Gus Poyet has urged him to seize his chance.
The 24-year-old, who scored four against Norwich in a pre-season friendly yesterday, said: "Hopefully [I will get the chance], obviously a player like Robbie needs replacing but if I am called upon and the gaffer gives me the nod, I will give it a go.
"He [Ramos] hasn't said anything [about Keane], what has happened with Robbie is down to him and the club, he didn't say anything to the players and we just have to get on with it.
"He [Keane] was a big figure in the dressing room, a nice guy and a top man, but obviously as I said we have to keep moving forward and push on in the league."
Bent added on Sky Sports News: "It is disappointing for the club, he has had five good years here where he has scored a lot of goals and has been brilliant for the club.
"We can't stand on ceremony and we have got to move forward."
Poyet has told Bent to make the most of Keane's departure, adding: "Darren Bent has been fantastic throughout pre-season. He's trained really hard and he's probably been the pick of the strikers so far and this time he showed what he's all about.
"He was one of the strikers last season, he didn't have too many chances because Robbie and Berba were on fire. Now he has taken the chance so maybe we will see Darren Bent every week."
Meanwhile, Hull have confirmed that defender Anthony Gardner has joined on loan from Spurs.
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Comment 1 - 4 of 4
well said lily261011 behind you 100% :)
well, when (not if) bentley goes i just hope ince has most of the money to spend. bentley is a very good player and all the best to him the only down side is that he needs to keep his mouth shut and just get on with it. we will not be fighting relegation we have a good squad..........COME ON ROVERS........... for a small club we just get on with it!!!!!
Looks like Blackburn's owners are looking to take a little profit this year. Prepare for Rovers to be fighting a relegation battle.
maybe spurs should pay more for bentley as liverpool have just spent 20 million on an ex wolves player and had to pay moreto a charity for tapping him up all the big clubs are the same they say there hard done by look at united and ronaldo well what about barry and liverpool then he is bieng tapped up to same as bentley same as roque santa cruz same as ronaldo same as robbie keane and dimitar berbatov the list goes on and on when will there be some civilisation in the beautiful game it is stupid that big clubs can unsettle players look what they did to benni mcarthey last season it really takes the piss needs fifa to sort this @#$% out but the nuggets in charge of fifa think it modern day slavery obviously we are all poor (the public) and they are bloody loaded for kicking a football around there are alot of issues that need sorting and somebody has to stand up and tell fifa they havent gota clue whats going on no more perhaps we need a new governing body people who understand football not just plain stupid idiots.
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