Redknapp talks up Anelka interest

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp had refused to rule out signing Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka.

The 32-year-old is expected to leave west-London either in the January transfer window or next summer, with a move to China reportedly in the offing.

However, Redknapp has hinted that the former Arsenal and Liverpool striker may be a target for Spurs.

“I’ve always liked him,” he said. “I think he’s a fantastic goalscorer.

"I wouldn’t stand here and say, 'No, never’ because if I signed him, you’d say I was lying.

"It’s not a bad shout. He’s a good player.”

Tottenham have quietly emerged as contenders for the Barclays Premier League title, despite a slow start to the season, but Redknapp is already wary of the club falling away at the back end of the season.

“After the Real Madrid game last season we fell away a bit, but if we’d have had a decent run then we’d have been very close to a top-four finish last year,” he added.

“Certainly, we’d have made the Champions League but like a lot of teams, we couldn’t sustain it late on. But we are bang there again this year.”