Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp says he has always
admired Ryan Nelsen. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
Former Blackburn manager Mark Hughes once said that
signing Ryan Nelsen on a free transfer in 2005 was one of his
best pieces of business and Spurs boss Harry Redknapp will now
hope he can look back and say the same thing.
Nelsen was yesterday the target of a surprise late swoop as
the English Premier League January transfer window closed.
There had been little talk of the All Whites skipper making
any move, other than a possible return to DC United in
America's MLS, but became one of the hot topics of
conversation in the always-frenzied last day of activity.
Neither Spurs nor Blackburn confirmed the transfer but
English media are reporting the deal as done and Nelsen's
American agent Lyle Yorks said they were waiting only on a
clearance.
Various reports have said Blackburn dramatically cancelled
Nelsen's contract just moments before the window closed,
which would make him a free agent and give Spurs more time to
sign him. The 34-year-old's contract with Blackburn was due
to expire at the end of the 2012-13 season.
"We settled with Blackburn and have reached agreement with
Spurs," Yorks told the Washington Post.
"We're just awaiting clearance. It's for six months, with a
one-year option. It all unfolded quickly. Harry Redknapp has
always been a big fan of Ryan. When the opportunity came up,
it really played itself out today."
It's not a move that's universally popular with both Spurs
and Blackburn fans, with Tottenham fans in particular
pointing to Nelsen's age and struggles with injury. He hasn't
played a competitive game since Blackburn's 3-1 defeat to
Aston Villa on August 20 and recently returned to New Zealand
to have his knee injury assessed by All Blacks medical staff.
But when fit - and it's widely believed he will return soon -
he is one of the best defenders in the Premiership. He proved
that at the 2010 World Cup, when he helped the All Whites to
draws against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay and was chosen in
many pundits' team of the World Cup.
Spurs have skipper Michael Dawson, Ledley King and Younes
Kaboul on their books at centre-back but King is injured more
often than not and Dawson has also had injury problems.
French defender William Gallas is out with a long-term injury
and Tottenham yesterday offloaded Sebastien Bassong to
Wolves.
"I'm hoping to sign Ryan Nelsen on a free until the end of
the season," Redknapp said after his side's 3-1 defeat of
Wigan yesterday (NZT) that solidified their third place in
the Premier League. "I think he's a great competitor and a
good sort to have at your club. Always liked him."
Redknapp tried once before to sign Nelsen when he was
Portsmouth manager but the All Whites skipper proved
difficult to prise away. Nelsen was also linked to a move to
Arsenal about five years ago but this proved little more than
paper talk. There have been many who wondered how he would
fare at a top-four club and, while he's not now in his prime,
will soon get a chance to see.
"Tottenham are right up there with the big guns, so it's
fantastic for Ryan," said former All White and Oceania Player
of the Century Wynton Rufer. "Ryan is international class.
Unfortunately we don't have that many players playing that
level and to go one step higher, all credit to him."
Nelsen has played more than 200 games for Blackburn and been
a big reason for their continued existence in the Premier
League.
He also earns close to $8 million a year, making him the
highest-paid sportsman in the country, which might have been
one of the reasons Blackburn were happy to offload him.
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