Hamburg striker Ruud van Nistelrooy admits he came close to joining Tottenham in January.

After spending much of his three-and-a-half-year spell at Real Madrid either out of favour or on the treatment table, Van Nistelrooy decided to move to Germany on an 18-month contract in January. He admits he came close to returning to the Barclays Premier League during the last transfer window though, with Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham all interested in signing the striker.

He said: "I was in serious negotiations with Spurs and here from Hamburg. They were the two that in the end were there.

"I had a very good conversation with (Spurs boss) Harry Redknapp. We couldn't agree terms though. Tottenham only offered me a six-month contract. For me that wasn't ideal with a family to get over there for six months."