Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their efforts to sell Darren Bent by offering the forward to Blackburn Rovers, should they sell Roque Santa Cruz. The England player, who has missed the past three matches with a groin injury, appears to have little future at White Hart Lane after disagreements with Harry Redknapp, the manager.

Tottenham turned down Everton’s offer to take Bent on loan for the season, preferring to try to recover some of the initial £15.5 million they paid for him in 2007. Bent, whom Tottenham value at about £12 million, was offered to Sunderland and Aston Villa. Spurs have not given up hope of securing a left winger before the transfer window closes, with Stewart Downing, of Middlesbrough, and Stephen Hunt, of Reading, among their targets.

Fred’s agents have claimed that a proposed deal with Tottenham is dead after they were unable to agree personal terms. The Lyons and Brazil forward wanted £80,000 a week, about £20,000 more than Tottenham were willing to offer.

Decent bets

Branislav Ivanovic’s agents are expected to hold talks with Chelsea in London today with the intention of negotiating his transfer to Fiorentina. The Serbia defender has agreed a five-year contract with the Serie A side, who will have to release Vlada Avramov, the Serbia goalkeeper, to free up the extra place for a non-EU player in their squad.

Monaco have inquired about Gelson Fernandes, the midfield player who has said that he needs to be playing regular football at Manchester City to secure a place in the Swiss national team. Fernandes, who has started nine matches this season, signed from Sion, the Swiss club, in July 2007 for about £4.2 million.

Sunderland remain interested in signing Calum Davenport but face competition from Bolton Wanderers, who withdrew from a deal for the West Ham United defender when they signed Sébastien Puygrenier from Zenit St Petersburg this month. Davenport cost £3 million from Tottenham in 2007 but has started only 12 league matches since, partly because of injuries. Newcastle United are confident of signing Albin Ebondo, the right back, despite Toulouse raising their valuation from £2.5 million to £3 million.

West Ham hope to complete the signing of Radoslav Kovac, a midfield player, on loan from Spartak Moscow with a view to a permanent move. Hull City are in talks to sign Steven Mouyokolo, the 22-year-old Boulogne central defender who would cost up to £1.6 million, but the French club will not let him leave until the summer.

West Bromwich Albion are closer to agreeing a deal worth £225,000 for Youssouf Mulumbu, the Paris Saint-Germain midfield player who is out of contract in the summer. He has been offered a 2½-year contract in the proposed deal that includes a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Hannover are set to sign Leon Andreasen, the Denmark midfield player who joined Fulham from Werden Bremen a year ago.

Dead certs

Dorian Dervite, the Tottenham defender, has joined Southend United on loan until the end of the season. Reading have signed Dan Harding, a left-sided player, on loan from Ipswich Town and they have completed a deal to sell Emerse Faé to Nice, where he was on loan, for about £2.4 million.

Long shots

Manchester City are preparing to raise their offer for Kolo Touré, but Arsenal have said that they will not sell the defender. City have turned down Fulham’s bid to sign Felipe Caicedo, the striker, on loan.

Sporting Lisbon have said that no club have met their valuation, thought to be in excess of £18 million, for Miguel Veloso, the defensive midfield player whom Bolton are trying to sign. Paris Saint-Germain are unwilling to sell Péguy Luyindula, the forward who has attracted interest from Portsmouth and Lyons.