Spurs
have revealed that they came close to signing Brazil World Cup star
Rivaldo before he opted to join Italian giants AC Milan.
Rivaldo was available on a free transfer from Barcelona and met
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy last Friday to discuss a possible
move to White Hart Lane.
However, the 30-year-old elected for a switch to the San Siro instead
despite being impressed with Levy's attempts to lure him to north
London.
Rivaldo said: "I was very excited about the possibility of
playing for Spurs and in England. I would like to thank the club
for their efforts in trying to sign me."
Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle kept in daily contact with Levy over the
potential move and feels the ambition shown in attempting to attract
the Samba star to the club will prove many doubters wrong.
Hoddle said: "We were close to getting him and I know that
Daniel (Levy) put in a supreme effort on our behalf.
"This illustrates the high nature of our ambition and the fact
that we prefer to operate away from the spotlight.
"It goes without saying that a player of Rivaldo's quality
would have been a major boost to our squad.
"There are not many players of that class in the world game
so when the chance of signing was there we had to move heaven and
earth to try and bring him here.
"Unfortunately it didn't happen this time but the search goes
on. People keep telling us we need a forward but they are being
naive if they think we don't already appreciate that fact.
"We are well served in defence and midfield with possibly the
best squad that this club has seen for some time," Hoddle told
the London Evening Standard.
Spurs midfielder Tim Sherwood was recently fined two weeks' wages
for publicly criticising the club's lack of investment in new players.
