Harry Redknapp confirms Tottenham interest in signing Juan Mata

Posted Sunday, July 31, 2011 by theguardian.com

• Spurs manager admits Valencia winger is 'a player we like'
• But there is no suggestion Spaniard would replace Luka Modric

Harry Redknapp confirms Tottenham interest in signing Juan Mata
Tottenham's manager Harry Redknapp pictured before his side beat Brighton 3-2 in their friendly match.

Harry Redknapp has confirmed Tottenham Hotspur's interest in signing the Spain international Juan Mata from Valencia, but has dismissed claims that the winger's arrival could pave the way for Luka Modric to leave the club.

Modric, who admitted that he wanted to join Chelsea earlier in the summer, missed Tottenham's 3-2 friendly win over Brighton & Hove Albion with a virus, although the Croat is expected to feature against Athletic Bilbao at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Spurs' interest in Mata is believed to have been registered on Friday night, when they offered €25m (£22m) for the Spanish World Cup winner.

Redknapp said: "[Mata] is a player that we like. So do Arsenal and so do other clubs. I went to watch him when England Under-21 played Spain and I thought he looked fantastic.

"The chairman has been dealing with it so where it is I don't know – I don't deal with them transfers. I wouldn't want to say that it isn't happening in case we sign him tomorrow and you all say 'thanks Harry', but he's a player we like."

Modric's future will likely be debated until the transfer window closes, with Manchester United also interested in the playmaker, although his relationship with Redknapp and the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, is believed to have improved of late and sources at the club are optimistic he will stay.

"I can't fault his attitude; he's been first class with me," Redknapp said. "We have had a difficult period with him, but he has trained well and I don't think you could meet a better professional.

"He came into training yesterday and he felt ill. Then he saw the doctor this morning and he had ulcers at the back of his throat and was pretty rough. The doctor told me he couldn't play."

Despite being able to field two different XIs on consecutive days against Leyton Orient and Brighton, Redknapp believes Spurs must add to their squad.

"I hope we can," he said. "I hope so because, at the moment, we have a problem. Sandro is out for three months and Tom Huddlestone has to see a specialist. Wilson Palacios is just coming back, so in terms of senior [midfield] players we only have Luka Modric and Jermaine Jenas, so it's an area we do need to strengthen for sure."

Redknapp's preparations for the forthcoming season suffered a fresh setback when Rafael van der Vaart asked to be substituted after injuring his ankle in the first half against Brighton. Tottenham have, however, ruled out a move for Scott Parker.

The approach for Mata offers intrigue for its audacity and because it is unclear where Spurs would accommodate the 23-year-old, who plays either as a left-winger or behind a central striker, in a first-choice XI that already contains Gareth Bale, Van der Vaart and Modric.

But such concerns have not dissuaded Spurs from signing players in the past and Redknapp's assertion that Bale will eventually drop back to full-back could prove instructive.

Bale was among Spurs' brighter players against Brighton, who were marking the official opening of their new 22,500-seater home, the Amex Stadium.

Ashley Barnes put the newly-promoted Championship side ahead after 10 minutes, but Younes Kaboul and Vedran Corluka put Spurs ahead, and Jake Livermore scored the winning goal for the visitors after Kazenga LuaLua scored Albion's second with a fizzing long-range effort.