Harry Redknapp has revealed that Spurs could have signed Sunderlandâs Stephane Sessegnon and Newcastleâs Hatem Ben Arfa.
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Both players have enjoyed strong seasons in the Premier League, with Sessegnon finding the net eight times for the Black Cats, while Ben Arfa scored his sixth of the campaign with a fine solo effort against Bolton on Monday.
âWe could have had Sessegnon at one time I think,â said Redknapp. âThe people who work for me werenât really convinced at the time â they were watching him and they didnât feel that he was any better than what we had, in all honesty.
âWe still had Pavlyuchenko here, and Defoe. But he is a talent, thereâs no doubt about that â a really good player in behind the striker.
âThe boy at Newcastleâs a good player as well, heâs a talent, Ben Arfa. Heâs similar, another good little dribbler.
âWe probably could have had him as well, but you canât take everyone can you? You end up with dozens of players hanging around, and weâve got good players here anyway so he might not have got in our team.
âDo I regret not taking Sessegnon? Not really. Heâs a good little player but Iâve got Van der Vaart. Youâre just going to cause yourself a bigger problem.
âRafa plays there really, in behind the striker, and heâs not going to be happy sitting around and not playing.
âRafa scores goals and makes goals. Heâs a top player, so you canât just say âoh Iâll have him, and himâ. Some football clubs end up with too many and all you have is problems.â
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Both players have enjoyed strong seasons in the Premier League, with Sessegnon finding the net eight times for the Black Cats, while Ben Arfa scored his sixth of the campaign with a fine solo effort against Bolton on Monday.
âWe could have had Sessegnon at one time I think,â said Redknapp. âThe people who work for me werenât really convinced at the time â they were watching him and they didnât feel that he was any better than what we had, in all honesty.
âWe still had Pavlyuchenko here, and Defoe. But he is a talent, thereâs no doubt about that â a really good player in behind the striker.
âThe boy at Newcastleâs a good player as well, heâs a talent, Ben Arfa. Heâs similar, another good little dribbler.
âWe probably could have had him as well, but you canât take everyone can you? You end up with dozens of players hanging around, and weâve got good players here anyway so he might not have got in our team.
âDo I regret not taking Sessegnon? Not really. Heâs a good little player but Iâve got Van der Vaart. Youâre just going to cause yourself a bigger problem.
âRafa plays there really, in behind the striker, and heâs not going to be happy sitting around and not playing.
âRafa scores goals and makes goals. Heâs a top player, so you canât just say âoh Iâll have him, and himâ. Some football clubs end up with too many and all you have is problems.â
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