Redknapp pursues Huntelaar to spur competition in attack

The Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, remains keen to sign the Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar despite adding England striker Peter Crouch to his squad earlier this week.

Crouch completed a £9m move from Portsmouth on Monday and joins Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko in the Spurs attack, with Darren Bent seemingly poised for a move away from White Hart Lane.

Huntelaar was set to join German side Stuttgart last week only for the move to fall through due to the player's wage demands. Redknapp confirmed he remains very much interested in the Netherlands striker, although any move would be subject to Bent moving on.

"It is definitely not a no-go," the manager said yesterday. "It is still a possibility. If you look at his goalscoring record, it is incredible. If he is available, he is a player that interests me. I think if any top-class player becomes available then you have to be interested and if Darren Bent does go then maybe we will be interested. You cannot have too many good players. Competition for places is what it is all about."

Should Redknapp lure Huntelaar to White Hart Lane it would mean five top-class strikers vying for the places in Spurs' forward line this season.

But the former Portsmouth manager is unconcerned about upsetting other players in the squad, insisting it is up to them to fight for their place.

"I don't care," he added. "It's not about keeping them happy, they have to keep me happy and the fans happy – that is what they are paid to do.

"It's up to them as they have got to fight to play, it's all about competition for places."