TheSportsCampus

The protracted transfer saga involving West Ham midfielder Scott Parker finally ended as he completed a move to Tottenham on deadline day for a fee believed to be in the region of £6m. Following their relegation, the Englishman, who was the Hammers’ best player last season, was expected to leave for a Premier League club and was earlier linked with a return to Chelsea. However, Harry Redknapp stepped up his interest in the 30-year old, following an indifferent start to the season that saw his side suffer deflating defeats at the hands of Manchester City and United.

Parker started his career at Charlton Athletic, and spent seven years at the club before joining Chelsea in the winter of 2004. His tenure with the Blues, however, turned out to be frustrating and he was finally sold in the summer transfer of 2005, after making just 28 appearances, to Newcastle United where he spent another couple of years before being signed by the Hammers.

Following an initial period where he failed to make an impact, Parker’s stature at Upton Park slowly grew and he gradually became one of their most important players. In their disastrous last campaign, the midfielder was the only silver lining, and was even awarded the Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association. Another testament to his performance is the fact that he found entry to the England international team, joining the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry.  In his four top flight seasons with the Hammers, Parker made a total of 125 appearances and even managed to find the back of the net 12 times, 7 of which came last season.

Tottenham are currently short of players in the midfield region especially after injuries to the likes of Sandro, Steven Pienaar and departure of Wilson Palacios, the signing of Parker would undoubtedly add some depth to their side. It would also give them some much needed stability and quality in the centre of the park. Parker is also a tireless performer and would aptly balance the flair of players such as Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar and Rafael Van der Vaart in the side. Although at 30-years of age he will not have much of a resale value, he could prove to be an excellent short term acquisition, who might just be able to propel Tottenham back into the Champions League.

The transfer was accelerated on Tuesday evening with Parker forced to hand in a transfer request because the club refused to release him without one. The move is being seen by pundits as a desperate attempt by the management to save face in front of the fans, who will undoubtedly be disappointed at the sale of their talisman.

Also Read:·Comprehensive Deadline Day Transfer Rumours