Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Artem Dzyuba has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur were interested in signing him during the January transfer window.
Spurs lost captain Harry Kane to a hamstring tear on the first day of January and were subsequently linked to pretty much every striker on the planet, with manager José Mourinho keen to address the fact that he didn't have a single senior striker in his squad.
Speaking to Russia 24 (via Sport Express), Dzyuba admitted that Spurs had approached Zenit about striking a deal for him, but the Russian side were incredibly reluctant to do business.
"This winter, when Harry Kane of Tottenham went down injured, people contacted me - on behalf of José Mourinho, as I understand it." he said.
"But it was the New Year holidays, so Zenit said no. And that’s all.
It's not just Spurs who have been interested in the towering Russian. Dzyuba also confessed that a move to Everton was effectively laid out for him last year, but he turned the Toffees down to focus on winning the league title.
"Last winter, representatives of agent Jorge Mendes came, for two hours we talked and discussed the future,” he said.
“They had a ready-made version: Everton. I could not leave because we were going for the championship. For me it was a cherished desire, because in Russia I had not won it yet. For me then it was important to stay."
The 31-year-old has managed 13 goals and 11 assists in 26 appearances this season, so it's clear to see why Spurs wanted him in January.
However, they ended up not signing a single striker, instead bringing in winger Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven to bolster their attack.
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Source : 90min