West Ham angry with Tottenham over Gudjohnsen

(GETTY IMAGES)

Tottenham's last-ditch attempt to sign Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan has reignited the bad blood between themselves and West Ham from last January's transfer window.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp tried to sign Craig Bellamy a year ago but Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury vowed never to sell players to his club's "local rivals", with the Wales forward joining Manchester City.

New co-owner David Sullivan has reacted angrily to Spurs making a late move to take Gudjohnsen from Monaco, after the Iceland international had undergone a medical and looked set to join Gianfranco Zola's squad.

Sullivan said: "We thought we had a deal and the player had even had a medical. We then heard that Tottenham were trying to speak to the player. I can't say I am happy about it but I believe in Karma and what goes around, comes around."

West Ham are prioritising strikers and are poised to sign Benni McCarthy from Blackburn for £2.5million, with Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwari also on their radar.

Spurs already have four strikers in Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko but the latter of the quartet wants to move from White Hart Lane and Gudjohnsen could also be deployed in a deeper role.

Redknapp revealed his interest in Gudjohnsen straight after the win over Fulham on Tuesday that keeps Spurs in the Barclays Premier League top four.

The Spurs boss is also looking for a reserve goalkeeper and the search could intensify following a shoulder injury to Heurelho Gomes, who is yet to have his problem fully assessed.

Redknapp has also allowed Giovani dos Santos to join Turkish giants Galatasaray on loan for the rest of the season and has previously insisted he would not stand in the way of a short-term return to Portsmouth for Jamie O'Hara.

While those two would struggle for regular games in midfield, an area Redknapp is short in is centre-back as Jonathan Woodgate has a groin problem and Ledley King cannot play matches in quick succession.

Redknapp is an admirer of former Spurs defender Younes Kaboul, who he signed for Portsmouth, and has sent scouts to watch Palermo's Simon Kjaer.

The fitness problems of Woodgate and King has led to an extended run in the team for Michael Dawson, who has been rewarded with a new contract until 2015.

"I am obviously delighted that the club wants me to stay for another five-and-a-half years," he said. "I was at Nottingham Forest from a young age and stayed for a long time but then Tottenham came along and I was keen to further my career and play in the Premier League.

"I have loved it here ever since I first signed and so it was an easy decision to extend my stay at the club, I never hesitated.

"This is a club that wants to be fighting to finish in the top four on a regular basis and challenging for silverware. That is what the football club is all about and everyone here shares those ambitions."

Another player to be given a chance following injuries is Gareth Bale, who has seized his opportunity after Benoit Assou-Ekotto's groin injury.

The victory over Fulham was the first time Tottenham have won a Premier League game with Bale in the starting line-up. "I'm growing up," said Bale. "I was young when I came here and I'm still quite young now but I'm learning every day and I want to become a better player.

"Nobody likes sitting on the bench, so it has been frustrating but it has also been a learning curve and that is what I need to go through. I'm happy to be back playing.

"I never really thought about leaving the club and I don't doubt myself. I know I'm a good player but I just needed the chance to prove it.

"When you get a run in the team, you have the confidence of the manager and that gives you confidence in yourself. You believe."