Spurs close in on £6m deal for West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand
Tottenham have stepped up their interest in West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand and are on the verge of sealing a £6million deal.
The 22-year-old, who has been on Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli's wanted list for the past two years, has told friends he is planning to make the switch.
He scores goals too: defender Anton Ferdinand turned striker with this goal against brother Rio and Manchester United
Spurs are desperate to strengthen their defence because of captain Ledley King's injury problems and they have set their sights on Ferdinand after another target, Richard Dunne, indicated he will stay at Manchester City.
Ferdinand has been a member of West Ham's first-team squad for five years and was hugely impressive in his first season in the Premier League in 2005-06. Although his form has been more inconsistent since, Spurs are convinced he can thrive alongside Jonathan Woodgate as a central defensive partnership.
West Ham have previously indicated they are willing to listen to offers for Ferdinand with manager Alan Curbishley under pressure to cut the Upton Park wage bill this summer.
The move will be another sign of Spurs' active work in the transfer market, having already secured Luka Modric and agreed a deal with Barcelona for Giovani dos Santos, while John Bostock will join from Crystal Palace once his fee is decided by a tribunal.
However, Spurs look likely to miss out on another Spanish swoop after Alvaro Negredo, of Almeria, admitted he was not interested in a move to England.
The 22-year-old, who finished as the Spanish club's top-scorer last season with 13 goals, said: "I don't think the time has come to make the step to the Premier League."
