Clint deal makes Spurs’ day

Dimitar Berbatov may have chosen Craven Cottage over White Hart Lane yesterday, but he was seemingly on his own in preferring West london to north.

The Manchester United striker joined Fulham on a two-year deal yesterday despite a late offer from Tottenham to return to the club he left for United in 2008.

The 31-year-old striker has moved to Fulham for an undisclosed fee, and will be reunited with Martin Jol, who managed Spurs during the Bulgarian’s successful spell there.

However, after completing a deal for Fulham’s Moussa Dembele earlier in the week, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was back yesterday as he made a late swoop for want-away Cottager Clint Dempsey.

The American has not figured for Jol’s side this term after a summer move to Liverpool failed to materialise. However, Dempsey agreed the deal quickly after Spurs had a £6m offer accepted.

Fulham will be able to console themselves with the capture of Berbatov, who scored 56 goals and made 149 appearances for Manchester United. The Bulgarian said: “I’m delighted to have signed for Fulham and I look forward to playing under Martin Jol once again.

“As soon as I was aware of Fulham’s interest my decision to join was an easy one to make.”

Tottenham’s pockets were stuffed with cash after the Luka Modric moved earlier in the week to Real Madrid for £30m and Rafael van der Vaart left for Hamburg yesterday for around £10m.

Spurs also added France No 1 Hugo Loris to their squad after concluding talks with Lyon that the French club’s president, Jean-Michel Aulas, described as “the hardest I have ever had to undergo” in 25 years.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, who allowed £35m striker Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan on Thursday, has continued his overhaul at the club by also offloading Charlie Adam.

The Scotland midfielder has joined Stoke on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £4m.

Jay Spearing is another to leave the Reds after he joined Bolton on a season-long loan.

Southampton completed the signing of Gaston Ramirez from Bologna for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £12m. The 21-year-old playmaker has signed a four-year contract at St Mary’s.

Arsenal had been linked with a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who was left out of the Blues’ European Super Cup squad to face Atletico Madrid, but the only moves at the Emirates came in the form of players heading through the exit door.

Striker Nicklas Bendtner completed a season-long loan switch to Italian champions Juventus, with South Korean forward Park Chu-young heading to Celta Vigo in a similar deal.

Michael Owen’s future remains up in the air. The former England striker had attracted interest from Stoke, with Everton and several other clubs reportedly interested.

But as Owen is a free agent, any deal for his services does not have to be completed by 11pm tonight.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan.

In Scotland, Celtic made two late signings. The Bhoys signed Nigerian Efe Ambrose from Israeli side FC Ashdod on a three-year contract. They followed up by signing Getafe striker Nicolas Fedor on a season-long loan. Fedor, known as Miku, is a Venezuela international who was Getafe’s top goalscorer last season.