I wanted to sign Tevez, admits Redknapp

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits he failed in an audacious bid to sign Manchester City's Carlos Tevez in January.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits he failed in an audacious bid to sign Manchester City's Carlos Tevez in January.

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Redknapp revealed he made inquiries about signing the Argentina striker after a highly-publicised falling-out with City manager Roberto Mancini in the wake of his apparent refusal to come off the bench at Bayern Munich last September.

Tevez subsequently went AWOL for three months towards the end of last year, prompting Mancini to declare the Argentina striker would not play for the club again.

Redknapp said that despite having doubts whether Spurs could afford Tevez's wage demands, he asked Spurs chairman Daniel Levy about trying to sign him.

"I said to the chairman 'can you get me Carlos Tevez?'," said Redknapp.

"Daniel made some enquiries, but it wasn't doable. If he could have done it, he would have.

"He (Levy) would have loved Tevez, but it wasn't possible because his wages are £200,000 a week. It's not possible at Tottenham to buy him.

"He is a fantastic player. When he puts a shirt on he doesn't stop running, working, he's enthusiastic, he can play and he can score goals."

After being in a position to move top at the turn of the year, Redknapp's team now find themselves fifth in the Premier League after a run of one win in nine.

Spurs host Blackburn on Sunday.

Redknapp meanwhile has hit back at suggestions that his team have collapsed due to his management style and was also irritated by the claim that he had a bust-up with striker Emmanuel Adebayor this week.

"Whoever said that is telling lies. It is an absolute lie," he said.

"I have not had one cross word with Adebayor since he came here.

"He has never been a minute's problem to me. When we took him here from Manchester City people said he's aggro or whatever, but he is not a problem.

"The whole thing is fabricated. I am sure we would love to keep him here next year. He is a top player."