Spurs make surprise £4m bid for striker Harewood

Tottenham Hotspur finally got the transfer window merry-go-round moving last night when they made a bid for the West Ham United striker Marlon Harewood valued at around £4m, after a day in which they even considered a move for the veteran old boy Teddy Sheringham.

Tottenham's approach came as West Ham were linked with an £18m bid for Charlton's Darren Bent, though both clubs insisted there was no formal offer. The Spurs move for Harewood was made after days of trying to move out the Egyptian striker Mido, who - at £3m from Roma in the summer - is looking like an expensive mistake. While there is interest from Manchester City in Mido, Tottenham's desire to recoup money on their initial transfer fee and the player's wage demands could prove to be a problem.

Sources last night indicated that it was unlikely that Tottenham would follow up their interest in Sheringham, 40, although they had considered taking him until the end of the season as a short-term replacement for Dimitar Berbatov, who has a serious groin problem. Spurs made an enquiry about Sheringham's availability in the transfer window last January.

The other key Tottenham target is Giles Barnes, Derby County's teenage attacking midfielder, who has drawn interest from a number of Premiership clubs. Derby would be prepared to sell for a deal worth up to £3.5m based on appearances although the initial payment in the transfer is still to be negotiated.