Peter Crouch is ready to turn down bigger money at Sunderland to sign with Tottenham this week.

The London Evening Standard says the north-east club are prepared to pay the Portsmouth striker £80,000-a-week in a bid to stop him from going to White Hart Lane.

Sunderland realised at the weekend that Spurs are leading the race for their prime target and are now desperate to sway the England striker with the massive wage offer.

It is believed Spurs will offer him around £20,000 a week less but Crouch is ready to accept it because he is so keen to be reunited with manager Harry Redknapp.