Kranjcar still needed at Spurs

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is determined to keep Croatian winger Niko Kranjcar at White Hart Lane, despite a bid from Werder Bremen.

The 26-year-old has started just once for Spurs this season and appears to be set on leaving the north London club, but Redknapp is keen to retain Kranjcar, who scored six times from 24 appearances last term.

“There is a German club that have come in for him. They have offered good money for him but I’m not keen to lose Niko,” Redknapp said.

“He is a good player, a fantastic player. I don’t think he wants to go to Germany and play.”

“I don’t think he feels that’s an option for him. If that’s the case then he will stay here and that’s great for us as well.”

With Spurs pressing the leaders in the English Premier League, and relishing the prospect of Champions League football next month, Redknapp is keenly aware of the physical demands on his playing list.

“We have a lot of games coming up. We are going to need a squad,” he said.

“There’s talk that the Sunderland game that we have coming up could be an evening kick-off on a Saturday and then Tuesday we play AC Milan away, then we have them at home.”

“These games are going to be coming thick and fast. We have a rearranged game with Blackpool to play on a Wednesday night. It’s going to be Saturday, midweek, Saturday, midweek. Niko is going to be an important player for us.”