TOTTENHAM Hotspurs have offered striker Darren Bent to Blackburn as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Roque Santa Cruz.Although Santa Cruz has a release clause in his contract stating he can leave if a team comes in with a bid of at least �18m, that does not kick in until the summer and the striker is desperate to leave Rovers this month.

TOTTENHAM Hotspurs have offered striker Darren Bent to Blackburn as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Roque Santa Cruz.

Although Santa Cruz has a release clause in his contract stating he can leave if a team comes in with a bid of at least �18m, that does not kick in until the summer and the striker is desperate to leave Rovers this month.

Rovers are thought to want at least �20m for Santa Cruz - with Manchester City also desperate for his signature.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch could be the man to fill Santa Cruz's boots at Blackburn should Rovers cash in on the Paraguayan.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has reportedly been chasing Crouch for years and should now be able to get him for �10 off of cash-strapped Portsmouth.

Crouch joined Portsmouth from Liverpool for �9 million but that was before owner Sacha Gayadamak decided to look for a new buyer and started selling players.

- It has also emerged that Everton, with three strikers sidelined through injury, have enquired about taking Darren Bent on loan from Spurs until the end of the season, a request which was immediately rejected by the London club.