Cardiff hoping to sign Tottenham defender

Cardiff City are trying to get Steven Caulker, be it on loan or with a purchase. Whether they want a loan or a buy depends on which outlet you ask, but the reports are in just about every paper so there probably is a fair bit of truth to their interest.

According to the Guardian, Cardiff want a loan. The Mail says Cardiff actually bid £8 million for the defender, but Spurs are holding out for £12 million and the Bluebirds (who now wear red and have a dragon on their crest, thanks a lot Malaysia) are restructuring a bid that could rise to Tottenham's valuation with add-ons. Every other outlet is pretending they have a scoop, but are so vague that they are probably just going with some middle ground between the Guardian and Mail so they can pretend they're in on things.

It's no secret that Cardiff want a central defender. They have been linked to ones all over the continent, including Spurs' reported signing Vlad Chirches, and Caulker is next on their list.

The problem is Spurs aren't in much of a situation to sell.

While Chirches would give Spurs an extra centerback, asking him to step in right away is hardly a situation Tottenham want to be in and they very well might with Jan Vertonghen battling an ankle injury.

Even when fully fit, Tottenham don't have an ideal partner for Vertonghen in central defender. Younes Kaboul is a question mark until he proves himself fit and Michael Dawson will be 30 years old later this year. The 21-year-old Caulker could be that partner for Vertonghen that anchors the Spurs defense for years.

Caulker is 6-foot-3 with incredible athleticism and is already an England international. Imagine what he will be like when he grows up and learns a little more? Spurs aren't selling that player.

Cardiff may want Caulker, but a loan doesn't make sense and neither does a sale. If they think they are going to sign him, they better be ready to pony up so much -- probably more than the £12 million quoted by The Mail -- that Daniel Levy has to accept.