Spurs seal £9m deal to sign Crouch from Pompey

PETER CROUCH’S switch to Tottenham was finally confirmed last night after Spurs agreed a deal with Portsmouth.

The England striker successfully completed a medical yesterday before agreeing personal terms on a deal believed to be worth £9m (€10.5m).

That figure represents a cut-price layout for Spurs after Sunderland agreed a £12m (€13.8m) deal with Pompey only last week.

Crouch had travelled up to the north-east and agreed personal terms with the Black Cats but, amid growing interest from Tottenham, as well as Fulham, the 28-year-old pulled out of the deal, telling the club he wanted to remain in the south.

That reinvigorated Spurs’ interest and they beat off competition from their west London rivals to secure his services.

“We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Portsmouth for the transfer of Peter Crouch to the club, following the player successfully completing a medical examination and agreeing personal terms,” a statement on Tottenham’s website read. Crouch’s move to White Hart Lane, where he first signed as a trainee in 1998, will also mean he again teams up with manager Harry Redknapp, who he worked under at both Portsmouth and Southampton.

Last night’s announcement is also likely to end Spurs’ interest in Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar after Redknapp had indicated he would sign either rather than both players.

Certainly it would seem to spell the end of Darren Bent’s Spurs career, with the striker ironically high on Sunderland’s radar following Crouch’s snub.