Harry Redknapp is happy with his Tottenham squad and says there are unlikely to be many new arrivals this summer. Redknapp's side took another step towards Champions League qualification with a 1-0 victory over Bolton on Saturday. A win over Manchester City on Wednesday would guarantee the club the first Champions League appearance in their history. Spurs' relative wealth has meant their managers have not been short of funds in the past few years and key signings such as Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Wilson Palacios have played an integral part in the club's push for fourth.
Redknapp is likely to be in a similar position this summer but, having also galvanised the careers of David Bentley, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Heurelho Gomes and seen the likes of Michael Dawson find arguably the best form of his career, he insists he is content with his squad. Redknapp said: "I'm not too bothered about changing things in the summer. If [the injured defender Jonathan] Woodgate came back fit then we'll have four fantastic centre-halves. There are lots of good players here. Next year we'll be better. Gareth Bale will have had a full season behind him and Aaron Lennon will be back. The future is good."
Elsewhere, Ryan Shawcross fears his chances of joining the England squad for the World Cup in South Africa are effectively at an end after "the worst two months of my career". The Stoke defender returned to the starting line-up for the first time in 10 games in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Everton at the Britannia Stadium. Getting back into first-team action was a welcome relief for Shawcross, demonised for his challenge on Aaron Ramsey that left the Arsenal player with a broken leg during their 3-1 Premier League defeat to the Gunners back in February.
Then after he had served his suspension he was sidelined with ankle and foot injuries. Shawcross, 22, feels his return to action might be too late to catch the eye of Fabio Capello, the England manager. "You can never say never but my main aim is to play well for Stoke first of all," he said. "There is always hope but the manager usually picks on form and fitness and it has been the hardest two months of my career. That might count against me."
* PA Sport
