Tottenham want Jermaine Pennant but Liverpool want Aaron Lennon in return

Rafa Benitez is ready to meet Spurs interest in Jermaine Pennant by proposing a swap deal.

And top of his list of possible exchanges will be young England star Aaron Lennon, who has impressed at White Hart Lane in recent weeks.

Speculation has increased to almost fever pitch recently over Tottenham interest in Robbie Keane, but new boss Harry Redknapp is also a know admirer of out-of-favour winger Pennant, who he tried to sign for Portsmouth in the summer.

Redknapp has maintained that interest since switching to the London club, and has made discreet enquires to see if he can land the former Arsenal player on the cheap.

Pennant has only six months remaining on his Anfield contract, and unless he plays more than 15 games for Liverpool - which would automatically trigger an extension - he can leave on a free at the end of the current campaign.

Given that he has so far made only four appearances, that prospect looks remote, especially because Benitez has basically washed his hands of the player after he missed a training session.

That means Liverpool will be desperate to offload in the January transfer window to cash in on the 28 year old, but so far Pennant has indicated he has no interest in proposed moves to either Stoke or Blackburn.

Tottenham is another matter though. Pennant wants to return to London where he enjoyed his time with Arsenal, and Redknapp would be interested if he is quoted a reasonable price.

That would be around £3million, but Benitez is ready to respond to any such valuation by offering Pennant plus cash for Lennon, who he sees as a gamble worth taking as he looks to strengthen his squad for a title push.

The key to any deal would be the price Spurs command for Lennon. If Liverpool were asked to pay around £7million plus Pennant, then Benitez would jump at the opportunity, because he feels he would be able to sell the young England winger at that price even if he failed to settle on Merseyside.

Redknapp might just be tempted because not only would he have a ready made replacement for Lennon, he would also free up some major cash to spend on new signings in the transfer window, with a striker a priority.

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