Pavlyuchenko shocked Europe yesterday when, only days after intimating his desire to stay in Russia, he announced that he would be joining Spurs.

And The Sun has backed up the 26-year-old's declaration by claiming that the Lilywhites have in fact agreed a £12million deal with Spartak.

The Mostovskoy-born striker is almost certainly a direct replacement for Dimitar Berbatov, who now appears destined to complete his dream switch to Manchester United after falling out with his team-mates and manager Juande Ramos.

The ex-Rotor Volgograd player will tussle with Darren Bent for a spot in the starting XI at White Hart Lane, as Ramos seems to prefer using a lone target-man supported by the likes of Giovani dos Santos and Luka Modric.

The Londoners had been keen on Pavlyuchenko's international team-mate, Andrei Arshavin, but they dropped their interest after Zenit St. Petersburg jacked up their asking price.

Pavlyuchenko will arrive in the English capital today to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms.

Borriello was heavily linked with a move to Spurs in the Italian press this morning, with reports suggesting that the North London club had made a bid for him as they look to replace the outgoing Dimitar Berbatov, who will soon join Manchester United.

The 26-year-old Borriello, who is currently injured, has a real fight on his hands for playing time at San Siro, given the presence of Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato, Pippo Inzaghi, and newest signing Andiry Shevchenko, who returned from Chelsea on Saturday.

Galliani though says that although players may leave before the end of the transfer window on September 1, Borriello, who only rejoined the club in full from Genoa at the end of last season, will be staying put.

"The market is closed for players coming in, however it is possible that someone may leave,” said Galliani, who went on to label the Italy international as “not for sale”.

The transfer guru then spoke about new signing Philippe Senderos, who he says will be out of action for 10 days with a back injury.

"He has a small problem with his back and he has told me that he will be ready in around ten days,” Galliani concluded.

Tottenham have agreed to send promising Czech striker Tomas Pekhart to Championship side Southampton in order for him to get some regular action.

Pekhart made an impact in the youth team for both club and country following his move from Slavia Prague in the summer of 2006.

The 18-year-old was the youngest player to play in the summer’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup, where the Czech Republic reached the final and has started this
season’s European U21 Championship qualifying campaign in fine form, scoring five goals in his first four games.

He is still considered too raw to break into the Spurs first team, however, so a loan move to a competitive club is considered in the best interest of all involved.
 
"I am happy about this move to Southampton. They wanted me and will certainly give me chance to play and I hope I can get some real attention there," Pekhart was quoted as saying by Sky Sports News.

"They have big ambition and that is what lures me and every game their matches are attended by 30,000 fans.

"Now it will be better for me to gain experience at the senior level," he added. The Championship is a very demanding league and it will be a big lesson during which I can improve a lot."

England's last scheduled international friendly before the World Cup qualifying campaign kicks off ended in a 2-2 draw with higher Fifa-ranked Czech Republic. The paying England support at Wembley strongly disapproved of the performance and voiced their disgust, with Frank Lampard receiving the lion-share of it.

Speaking at an Inner City Football Fun Day, Woodgate said: "I think we've all got to be a unit - the players and the fans and everyone in the team has to be together, all pushing in the right direction."

"The last thing you want is people booing the players. You have to put up with it but it doesn't help," he added.

"What we all want is to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 and there would be a lot of disappointed people if we didn't make it - especially the fans," The Tottenham defender said.

"Hopefully we can all pull together and produce the results. But we need everyone on our side, especially now," he concluded.

Tottenham Hotspur are reported to have made a bid for Colombian striker Radamel Falcao. The River Plate star may be the man to fill Robbie Keane's boots following his transfer to Liverpool...

The Mirror are reporting that Juande Ramos has made a £7million bid for 22-year old Colombian international Radamel Falcao.

Ramos sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool earlier in the summer for £20million and is yet to find a suitable replacement. Andrei Arshavin has often been linked with the north London club, but Spurs have failed to meet Zenit's valuation of the striker.

Falcao is a pacey forward, a natural finisher, and can score with both feet. Ramos may be keen to thrash out a deal quickly considering Dimitar Berbatov has been dropped by the Spanish manager, leaving only Darren Bent to lead the line.

Atlético de Madrid have slapped a €30m asking price on Diego Forlán in a bid to ward off interest from Tottenham Hotspur with only a week to go before the end of the transfer window.

Los Colchoneros are not keen to have their squad disrupted so close to the start of a new campaign and have made it clear that they will not entertain any bid below their asking price.

According to reports in England there has been contact between Tottenham and Atleti and that the Spanish outfit made it clear that their valuation of the player was €30m.

The Premier League outfit's coach, Juande Ramos, is keen to resolve Dimitar Berbatov's future after the player was left out of the game against Sunderland at the weekend.

While the moody Bulgarian is likely to leave White Hart Lane, the Spanish trainer has been scouring the market for a new striker and Forlán was one of his preferred options.

Tottenham were prepared to make an offer of around €18m for the former Manchester United and Villarreal forward, but that fell way short of Atlético's demands.

With the club one game away from making it through to the group stages of the Champions League, Forlán may have rejected a switch back to England anyway.

After a fine debut season in the Premier League, followed up by an impressive Euro 2008 campaign, the defender’s reputation rocketed, seeing him linked with several other English clubs.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Juande Ramos and Spurs are top of the list of pursuers, and while City manager Mark Hughes remains confident that the player will remain at the City of Manchester stadium, Corluka’s representatives appear to have other ideas.

The 22-year old reportedly has an £8 million release clause in his contract which the north London club hope to capitalise on, and with Thaksin Shinawatra’s future at the club still in doubt following his offer to withdraw from the club, the money may be seen as welcome rest-bite.

Corluka’s exit would, though, cast a cloud over Hughes’ power at Eastlands, with the former Blackburn Rovers manager already having to go public with an explanation as to who is in charge at the club after a number of reports suggesting disharmony among the squad.

Tottenham Hotpsur sporting director Damien Comolli insists that the club are intent on keeping hold of Dimitar Berbatov.

The Bulgaria international’s future has been the subject of intense speculation since last summer when a move to Manchester United was first mentioned. What is more, the fact that he was left off the squad completely for last weekend's defeat by Sunderland combined with the imminent signing of Roman Pavlyuchenko would seem to suggest that his departure is a forgone conclusion.

However, when pressed on whether Berbatov might be staying after all by a Sky Sports News reporter Comolli said: "I hope so, of course.

"He's a very good player and, as Juande (Ramos) has said many times, we're delighted he's with us.

"I don't really want to comment about speculation, but we just hope he's going to stay."

Comolli refused to be drawn out on speculation that Pavlyuchenko is virtually a Spurs player, after he was pictured arriving in London earlier today.

"We will comment and will let you know when we've got news," he added, before remaining equally coy about the prospect of Pavlyuchenko's Russia team-mate Andrei Arshavin still joining.

"It's difficult for me to comment on different rumours and speculation," Comolli continued. "He plays for another club we respect and they have got a game tonight."

Comolli did, however, suggest that rumours linking the club to Swedish striker Henrik Larsson are unfounded.

"At the moment we've got some targets, but it's news to me about Henrik Larsson."

Zenit St Petersburg forward Andrei Arshavin has all-but conceded he will not be joining Tottenham.

The talented schemer has been a long-term target for Spurs boss Juande Ramos but the North London club have failed to concur on a fee with their Russian counterparts.

Zenit have been steadfast in their £24million asking price; a figure which the Tottenham board have baulked at in turning their attention elsewhere.

Arshavin, who was dropped by Zenit for the recent league game against Krylya Sovetov Samara, is currently in Monaco preparing for Friday night's Super Cup clash with Manchester United.

The player has made no secret of his desire to move to the Premier League but is now ready to accept he is unlikely to join Spurs, who are set to announce the signing of Arshavin's international team-mate Roman Pavlyuchenko within the next 48 hours.

"I have a feeling we can put this story to bed," he told Sport Express.

"I think with the purchase of Pavlyuchenko the idea of Arshavin (moving) to London no longer exists.

When quizzed on whether he saw his future at Zenit, he replied: "It looks that way."

Valencia interest

Arshavin's agent Dennis Lachter admits that Zenit's asking price for his client looks likely to prohibit his departure, with Valencia the only club who still hold a tangible interest.

"Villarreal have dropped out [of negotiations]," Lachter told Russian newspaper Sovetsky Sport. "That club are not going to buy Andrei.

"The only team who are interested in Arshavin at the moment is Valencia.

"However, the transfer will only go through if Real Madrid buy striker David Villa from Valencia."