Tottenham are preparing to rival Villa by launching a bid for Blackburn midfielder David Bentley.
Rovers boss Paul Ince admits Villa are the only club to have made a firm offer for Bentley – while issuing a hands-off warning over star keeper Brad Friedel.
The £10m offer tabled by Martin O’Neill was rejected, with sources in Lancashire suggesting Tottenham are now ready to make their first offer.
The Express & Star understands Spurs will have to sell before they can match Villa’s ability to pay cash up front. They would instead prefer to use players as makeweights in any deal.
Ince has reiterated his intention to keep the winger but privately he is resigned to losing one of his crown jewels.
He said: “There’s been an offer from Villa. But that’s as far as it goes.
“That’s the idea (to keep him), I want to keep hold of all my players and David Bentley is no different.”
Bentley, who Blackburn value at £17m, has made no secret of his desire to leave Ewood Park. White Hart Lane is believed to be his preferred destination, although O’Neill is prepared to pull out all the stops to get his man.
He is also keen to make 37-year-old Friedel one of two American goalkeepers at Villa Park next season, with Brad Guzan set to arrive if granted a work permit.
Friedel, one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers, still has two years remaining on his current deal.
O’Neill is prepared to offer a three-year deal and a hefty pay rise for Friedel to bring down the curtain on his career in the Second City.
Reports suggest that Ince was lining up Spurs’ Paul Robinson, who has previously interested O’Neill, as his replacement but he insisted he would prefer to keep Friedel.
Ince added: “When I came to Blackburn, I said I wanted to keep my best players, and Brad Friedel comes into that category.
“He is one of the best keepers in the Premier League. There is no interest from me in Paul Robinson.
“As far as I am concerned, I want to keep Brad. I do not want to sell Brad, so why should I want Paul Robinson?”
7 Comments
Where has it said that the offer was £10m and where has it said that it has been rejected?
Have I missed something or are we making rumours up? (again)
Agreed Busta, no mention of the amount nor a rejection. People read between the lines and then print what they want. Lets wait and see if he ends up at VP! To sign like Bentley would be a signal to all and sundry that we mean business, and might attract some other quality players too.
if bentley signs for villa i will eat white hart lane.
I hope you have a good appetite Jeremy.
Personally I can’t see him coming either to be honest, as much as I would love him at VP. Saying that I definitely think he would do more for his international career if he moved to Villa playing alongside Young, Davies, NRC, Gabby, and Sidwell. I can see Cappello making a fair few visits next season.
why would capello be coming to look at sidwell? to check that he’s still as average as he was as a reading player?
i agree its said nothing about the £10 million fee or it being rejected. if it had been rejected surely ince would of said we had an offer from villa but its been rejected but he didnt and bentley pulled out of the friendly hours before k.o suggests to me it could of been excepted and is having talks with us as we speak because its a bit suspicious he pulled out hours before k.o