Jermain Defoe's protracted return to White Hart Lane was nearing an end today after Portsmouth announced they had accepted our bid to sign the 26-year-old striker.
Defoe made public his desire to return to North London earlier this week, stating how disillusioned he had become after Redknapp left the south coast club to replace Juande Ramos.
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The deal, believed to be in the region of £15m, does not represent great value for money - we sold Defoe for a fee rising to £12m last January - but Daniel Levy will be delighted that he has bolstered the squad's attacking options, especially given Darren Bent's recent injury, and managed to persuade Portsmouth to allow him to leave.
A statement on the club's official website confirmed that a personal terms had also been agreed and that the striker would have a medical at the club today, and Defoe will be in the stands to watch us play Burnley in the Carling Cup semi-final this evening. The last possible obstacle for the deal is the Premier League ruling stating clubs cannot re-sign players a year after selling them, but the club does not forsee a problem securing written permission to overturn that piece of red tape.
As fans will be well aware, Jermain is not the first high profile player to return to the club. Talismanic strikers Teddy Sheringham and Jurgen Klinsmann both moved on to bigger and better things after becoming icons among the White Hart Lane faithful in the 1990s. Neither could resist another shot at helping the club they held dear to their hearts.
In the 1994-95 season Klinsmann arrived as one of Ossie Ardiles' Famous Five, and alongside Sheringham, Darren Anderton, Nicky Barmby and Ilie Dumitrescu, the German international shot a blonde streak across the Premiership, bagging 21 goals in 41 appearances before being sold to Bayern Munich.
In 1997 he was back, but this time in very different circumstances. Beleaguered boss Christian Gross signed the fan's favourite on loan from Sampdoria, but initially he struggled to recreate the form of he had enjoyed during his first spell. Four goals in the penultimate game of the season against Wimbledon, however, left fans in raptures and secured the club it's Premiership status for another year. Klinsmann retired a short time later, his place in fans affections also secure.
Teddy Sheringham also enjoyed a successful return to the Lane. After winning every trophy imaginable during four years with Manchester United, Glenn Hoddle made the forward his first signing in May 2001. Convinced to join because Sir Alex would not offer him the two year deal he desired, the 35-year-old continued where he had left off during his first spell at the club, which saw him score 98 goals in 197 appearances.
His first season back in Lilywhite was an unqualified success, as Teddy's goals helped the club to finish 9th, it's highest league position in six years. He also shot us into the League Cup Final, eventually losing 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers. Even at that late stage in his career Sheringham was a valuable asset to the club, and 26 goals in 80 games was testament to this. In 2002-03 his contract ran out and he joined Portsmouth for their first season in the Premier League.
The story of former player making heralded return is not always one of success and glory - Mido would be forgiven for wanting to forget his permanent move from Roma, especially given the promise the performances during his 18-month loan deal - but there should be no reason why Defoe can't match, and then surpass, the repeated success of the likes of Teddy and Jurgen.
Like them he enjoys the adoration of supporters, and his return will be met with jubilation by the majority of them, but in contrast he is returning home at the height of his powers. Defoe scored 64 goals for us before being sold to Redknapp last year and there is no reason why he cannot improve on that, given that he was so often resigned to the bench under Ramos and Martin Jol.
He isn't the perfect player, we know that. Yes Jol became frustrated with his lack of physicality and his tendency to drift offside from time to time but he is a proven goalscorer and that is something we are in serious need of if we are to remain in the Premiership this season. For this reason, I'll be dusting off my signed picture of Defoe and putting it back in its rightful place this afternoon.
So, having forked out the better part of £15m on Defoe, will Levy put away his chequebook? It seems unlikely. Reports suggest that Redknapp will be allowed to continue his pursuit of Stewart Downing and Craig Bellamy. The former had a request for a transfer rejected and is believed to be extremely keen to come to White Hart Lane. Bellamy is also believed to favour the short trip from Upton Park, but our bid of £9m is beginning to look pathetic in comparison with the sort of spending power being shown off by another of the Welshman's suitors, Manchester City.
Perhaps the most exciting potential deal is the potential capture of Ghana captain Stephen Appiah on a free transfer. The former Fenerbache and Juventus midfielder began training at the club yesterday in a bid to prove his fitness, after suffering from a serious knee injury. If he passes a medical, he would be a superb addition to the squad, adding a physicality in midfield we have lacked for years.