Tottenham linked with January bid for former Manchester City striker

Are Tottenham Hotspur going to be linked to every available striker under the sun from now until the close of the transfer window? Yep! The problem with having an obvious position of need is that everybody knows about it, meaning you're a target for every single transfer rumor you can imagine, and a few that you can't. Take this one: the Mail is linking Spurs to former Manchester City and current Valencia striker Álvaro Negredo.

Negredo's 30 now and no longer a spring chicken (if he ever was). This is also a rumor from the Mail, which should immediately get your transfer rumor hackles up and put you in a "This Is Not A Thing" default position, because you are all seasoned and intelligent consumers of the British media. Negredo hasn't featured much for Valencia this season, starting only five times in La Liga this season, but new Valencia manager Gary Neville has suggested that he may play a larger role from here forward:

‘Watching him at Manchester City two or three seasons ago he made a big impact in the Premier League and he was almost like the perfect striker; he was wonderful and there is no reason why he can't get back to that level...

‘But I have a lot of confidence and belief in him because I have seen him at such a high level. We know that he can't get to that absolute top level straight away but I think he can get back to that top level again. I'm convinced.'

So that's some pretty compelling evidence to ignore this rumor outright. But as thought experiment, I really really don't hate this idea at all. Negredo was pretty fantastic at striker despite being mired behind Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko for most of his tenure there. At 30, he probably doesn't have that many more years at the top level, and it's conceivable, though unlikely, that a return to the Premier League as a rotation option for Harry Kane would interest him.

Negredo's an experienced hand with Premier League experience, a hard working striker, a capable goal scorer, and someone who could probably fit well into Pochettino's pressing style. For the right price, or a half-season loan, he'd be an excellent addition to the side. All indications are that Spurs are going to be going after Saido Berahino again first, but if Little Bear falls through again or Jeremy Peace doesn't want to play ball, keeping someone like Negredo in your back pocket as a plan B would be a pretty good way of making sure we don't burn out our best forward by April.

It's probably not going to happen. But I kinda hope it does.