Deep Backward Point.

“These things just unsettle players. Spurs are after every player in the league.”

Ricky Sbragia’s statement is not, of course, shocking news. I reckon bets are still on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer strolling into White Hart Lane to add to Harry’s growing collection of strikers.

The Spurs shopping list is extensive as always, with the usual dollop of outlandishness; this season in the shape of Adriano. Harry apparently only went to watch a football match. In the transfer window. At Inter, who have a notoriously unsettled striker with shades of brilliance. Having made it clear he wants to sign a powerful centre forward.

Never mind that, then. Harry’s ruffled some feathers, but insists he isn’t doing anything wrong. Let’s look at his various responses:

Stewart Downing: ‘The club has made a big offer for him, but Middlesbrough are a good club and if the chairman [Steve Gibson] decides he doesn’t want to sell him, that’s his right to do that and that’s the end of that one.’

Kenwyne Jones: ‘We haven’t tapped anyone up. Why has their head been turned? All that’s happened is that Daniel Levy spoke to Niall Quinn and asked if they’d sell Kenwyne Jones.’

Craig Bellamy: ‘Bellamy’s a feisty little character and is certainly one of the options, but if they don’t want to sell him it’s up to them.’

Robbie Keane: ‘I wouldn’t sit here and say that I wouldn’t like to have Robbie Keane at my football club, I’d be a liar, but he belongs to Liverpool so it’s not an option unfortunately. But as a player and a person, I’ve got a lot of time for ­Robbie Keane, I think he is fantastic.’

I think we can all agree he’s a sly talker. It’s very clever to seem astonished about turning players’ heads whilst simultaneously indicating your interest. He’s just on the right side of the law, which means all this is fine. I guess I doff my cap to you Harry.

Besides, how does anyone make a transfer these days without tapping someone up?