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A short-term loan deal for David Beckham at White Hart Lane isn't as unlikely as it sounds and if it were to happen, it would prove to be another masterstroke by a man who has turned Spurs from bottom-placed league team to Champions League contenders.


Love him or loathe him, Harry Redknapp has worked wonders since taking over at Tottenham Hotspur and his latest bid to take David Beckham on loan could be yet another masterstroke.

There is no question that Redknapp has had his fair share of money to spend since taking over at White Hart Lane - and his detractors claim that many of Spurs' best players (Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson, Benoît Assou-Ekotto) were bought by Martin Jol, who could have done just as good a job at the club given more time - but the facts speak for themselves; Spurs were bottom of the league when 'Arry took over and now they're in the Champions League and playing some of the most exciting football in the Premier League.

Redknapp has also bought well. He may have stripped Portsmouth of Jermain Defoe, Younes Kaboul, Niko Kranjcar and Peter Crouch but they have all been successful signings, while the purchase of Rafael van der Vaart from Real Madrid for £8 million, has probably been the signing of the season. In terms of squad depth, Redknapp's side is one of the most talented in the English top-flight but although Tottenham are developing into a force to be reckoned with, they are not used to battling it out for the title, and certainly not vying for European club football's most prized trophy (they are 27.0 to clinch the Champions League).

The four-match winless streak that followed their 4-3 defeat at Inter Milan in October hinted that Spurs may prove susceptible over the next few months as the pressure of a two-pronged assault at home and abroad begins to mount, which is probably why fourth-placed Tottenham, who are five point behind leaders Manchester United having played a game more, are still 29.0 to win the league (and 2.36 to finish fourth).

With the exception of William Gallas, Rafael van der Vaart and Peter Crouch European experience is thin on the ground at White Hart Lane and Beckham, whom Redknapp claimed after the 1-0 victory against Fulham yesterday, is keen on sealing a three-month loan move, would bring know-how in spades. Not only has the former England captain won six Premier League titles, La Liga and a European Cup, but, having spent two loan spells at AC Milan, who better to advise Redknapp and his charges on how to knock out the Rossoneri in the Round of 16? They're 2.06 to do that by the way.

Apart from stardust Beckham would, more importantly, offer a different technical outlet to what they have already. The pacy and fast-improving Lennon would obviously still command a first-team place on the right wing, but if you need to keep possession, introduce a calm head or throw the dice with a potentially match-winning set-piece specialist - then the 35-year-old would be the ideal man to bring off the bench, particularly if the disappointing David Bentley leaves this month.

The only foreseeable down side to the deal is if Beckham's new team-mates found his arrival disruptive, or, alternatively, if he proved so influential they would lose their way once he returned Stateside after three months. But neither of the above scenarios are likely because Beckham is the archetypal team player who plays for the love of the game. He is far more likely to help Spurs push on than prove to be a distracting sideshow. He would also not play enough games for Spurs to become Becks-dependent.

It remains to be seen whether or not LA Galaxy will be prepared to loan out their big-name player for three months in the light of what happened last season. The Achilles injury the midfielder sustained while playing in Italy not only ruled him out of the World Cup but it cost Galaxy his not inexpensive services for all but seven league matches of their 2010 campaign. But Harry is right to try.

"I think he'd be a good influence at the football club, he's the type of lad who'd give the place a lift," said Redknapp. "He's a proper professional. I read Theo Walcott the other day saying how he spent time around the training ground practising with him - you need people like that around you.

"He's been a fantastic player and he's someone who the players would look up to and respect. If he's over his injuries and is as fit as he thinks he is, then he could still play at the top level. It's not as if he's suddenly lost blistering pace - he had no pace when he was 17, but he has a great brain and is a great deliverer and striker of the ball."
Spurs fans should be excited about Beckham's possible arrival and grateful to Redknapp for pulling off another piece of transfer market magic.


By Richard Aikman

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