Spurs sign Moroccan in drive to add experience

Tottenham signed the Moroccan international centre-back Noureddine Naybet yesterday, and there could be another arrival at White Hart Lane before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Tottenham signed the Moroccan international centre-back Noureddine Naybet yesterday, and there could be another arrival at White Hart Lane before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Naybet arrived from Deportivo La Coruña for around £700,000 with the deal subject to a work permit. Spurs have also emerged as favourites to land the England international Owen Hargreaves, who is allowed to leave Bayern Munich.

Naybet has been brought in to add experience to a young Spurs defence that lost right-back Stephen Carr to Newcastle this week, and Tottenham's sporting director Frank Arneson said: "Naybet will fit in as a natural leader with all his experience at the very top level of the game. Experienced players are not just about playing, they have another responsibility and that is to guide the young players. His experience and his ability will be invaluable to the squad."

Hargreaves, meanwhile, made his ambitions clear: "My goal is to play one day in the Premier League. I've always said this in the last couple of years."

His agent, Roman Grill, said talks had taken place between Bayern Munich and a Premiership club, but he refused to specify which one. "During Euro 2004 there were two or three offers from English clubs and one is now really concrete," he said. "The manager from the club was in Munich and talked to Bayern, and next week a decision will need to be made."

The 23-year-old has two years left on his Bayern contract, but the club's failure to land any silverware last season has meant many of the side's leading players were criticised by the club's general manager, Uli Hoeness.