Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, revived an interest in Nigel Reo-Coker last night as he contemplated disappointment in his pursuit of Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the Real Madrid attacking players.

Robben, the winger, has said that he wants to remain at Madrid, where he moved for £24 million from Chelsea two years ago. “[It's] absolute nonsense,” Hans, his father and agent, said. “Arjen will certainly not join Tottenham. I will even bet a bottle of wine Arjen won’t play there.” Tottenham wanted to sign Huntelaar before the forward moved to Real for £19 million from Ajax in January, a fee that the Spanish club want to recoup. Juventus have offered £12.7 million. “Klaas wants to play in the Champions League, ideally at Madrid,” Arnold Oosterveer, his agent, said.

With Didier Zokora on the verge of signing for Seville, Redknapp wants to recruit a ball-winner as an additional option in central midfield. Moussa Sissoko and Étienne Capoue, the combative Toulouse midfield players, are his preferred targets, but he inquired about Reo-Coker in January, having also tried to sign the Aston Villa player when he was the manager of Portsmouth.

Doubts about Reo-Coker’s future at Villa have been raised because he was played at right back last season. Reo-Coker may be given another opportunity in midfield after the departure of Gareth Barry, and it is not clear if Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, wants to sell him, although Sunderland and Everton are interested. Málaga have expressed an interest in Adel Taarabt, the Tottenham attacking player.

Decent bets

Manchester City have inquired about Joan Angel Román, the highly rated 16-year-old Espanyol midfield player, and are watching Javi Martínez, the Athletic Bilbao holding midfield player. Sam Allardyce, the Blackburn Rovers manager, is monitoring Mohamed Zidan, the Borussia Dortmund and Egypt striker and Iván de la Peña, the Espanyol midfield player, whom he tried to sign when in charge of Bolton Wanderers.

Andrea Dossena’s agent has claimed that a proposed move from Liverpool to Juventus is dependent on the Italian club dropping their interest in Fabio Grosso, the Italy left back. Roberto Florio said: “That is what is slowing Dossena’s transfer from Liverpool to the Bianconeri.”

Álvaro Arbeloa, the Liverpool defender, has indicated that he wants to return to Spain, where Real Madrid have shown an interest. “I’m happy in Liverpool but I’d like to go back because I’ve barely had chance to play in the top flight in Spain,” he said. “Outside of football, I miss everything I have in my country.”

Dead certs

Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed Marcus Hahnemann after the goalkeeper was released by Reading. Sporting Lisbon will receive a £2.2 million development fee for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid when the winger completes his £80 million transfer from Manchester United. Sporting Lisbon’s £3 million offer for Felipe Caicedo, the forward, has been turned down by Manchester City.

Long shots

José Mourinho has said that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is unlikely to leave Inter Milan after speculation that the Sweden forward would be part of a swap deal for Samuel Eto’o, of Barcelona. The European champions have also tabled a £17 million bid for José Manuel Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper.

Monaco have confirmed that they have been offered Andriy Shevchenko, the Chelsea forward who spent last season on loan to AC Milan.