Football: Ravanelli could make loan move to Spurs

Tottenham have refused to confirm that they are trying to sign up Fabrizio Ravanelli on a pounds 42,000-per-week three-month loan deal, but his agent revealed that the Italian's striker's future is "24 hours" from being settled.

The Spurs manager, Gerry Francis, struggling with an injury crisis even though Chris Armstrong made his comeback at Bolton on Tuesday and Les Ferdinand could be fit for Saturday's game against Wimbledon, said: "I never talk about other club's players." He was, though, involved in talks with Tottenham's operations manager, Daniel Sugar, the son of the club chairman, Alan Sugar, before the Bolton game.

If the unsettled Middlesbrough striker moves to London, it seems that Spurs would take on his salary in a loan spell up to Christmas and then be given an option to sign him permanently.

Pino Paglari, Ravanelli's representative, said: "I think there is something in it. I think we are about 24 hours from the outcome."