Defoe in new deal

Exclusive By Geoff Sweet

SPURS are still prepared to talk to Jermain Defoe about a new contract — despite the striker's bust-up with boss Juande Ramos.

Defoe, 25, who has 18 months left on his current deal, revealed how Ramos called the England striker into his office and said: "You can go."

But I understand the meeting came about because Ramos was annoyed with Defoe for some high jinks in training and decided he needed to lay down the law in private.

Joke

Ramos pointed out how tight he is on discipline and suggested if Defoe continued to lark around he might like to leave.

The showdown came on the eve of Tottenham's 1-1 Carling Cup semi-final, first-leg draw at Arsenal on Tuesday.

Defoe explained: "At first I thought it was a joke. I thought he was going to say I would be starting against Arsenal. But he just said: ‘You can leave if you want to'. I couldn't believe it."

Defoe, who has started just two Premier League games this term, wants to stay at Spurs.

But he has held off talks about a new deal, suggesting that first he must get a decent run in the team.

Despite everything, Tottenham are still prepared to offer improved terms, although Spaniard Ramos has been busy scouring his homeland for front men.

He knows Defoe, Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent are all unsettled — and has targeted Sevilla pair Fredi Kanoute and Alexander Kerzhakov.

But Sevilla are refusing to do business with Tottenham after the way they lured Ramos to White Hart Lane.

So Spurs may turn to Getafe's Dani Guiza, who also interests Bolton and Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, Spurs hope hard-up Espanyol will finally accept an £8m bid for central defender Dani Jarque.

Sven seeks a Klass act

Exclusive by Aidan Magee

SVEN Goran Eriksson has joined rival Sir Alex Ferguson in the race to sign Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

Both City and United have been watching the Ajax forward, nicknamed ‘The Hunter,' since summer.

They are hopeful that the Dutch club's poor financial state will mean they can sign the 6ft 1in striker for a knockdown £12million, even though Ajax value him at £18m.

Stunning

And the Swede is hopeful of persuading the former PSV star to move to City instead of United on a promise of a regular starting place.

Huntelaar, 24, is in his third season with Ajax after spells at PSV and Heerenveen.

He has scored a stunning 53 goals in 65 games and has been likened to Dutch legend Marco van Basten. He is Holland's top all-time Under-21 scorer with 18 goals in 22 games and has also attracted interest from European giants Juventus and Arsenal in the past.

Huntelaar was surprisingly left out of Van Basten's squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

But he is certain to be named in the 22 for this summer's Euro 2008, having scored three goals in nine internationals.

City boss Eriksson is looking for a replacement for Rolando Bianchi, who he signed from Serie A side Reggina for £8.8m in the summer.

The Italian striker has failed to settle at Eastlands despite some impressive form.

He has scored five goals in 21 City appearances but has failed to find the net in his last four matches.

Wigan 0 Man Utd 2
Chelsea 1 Bolton 1
Portsmouth 0 Fulham 1
Derby 0 Reading 4
Birmingham 4 B'burn 1
Everton 3 Newcastle 1
West Ham 2 A Villa 2
Tottenham 0 L'pool 2
M'boro 8 Man City 1
Sunderland 0 Arsenal 1
Newcastle 0 Chelsea 2
Liverpool 1 Man City 0
Arsenal 1 Everton 0
Aston Villa 0 Wigan 2
Blackburn 3 Derby 1
Bolton 2 Sunderland 0
Fulham 2 Birmingham 0
Man Utd 4 West Ham 1
M'brough 2 Portsmouth 0
Reading 0 Tottenham 1
Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2
Man Utd 1 Barcelona 0