SPURS boss Harry Redknapp has revealed that he had the chance to sign Hatem Ben Arfa and Stephane Sessegnon.
The pair have been in superb form for Newcastle and Sundeland respectively this season.
And that has led to speculation linking them with moves away from the North East.
Ben Arfa netted for the sixth time this season with a brilliant solo effort for the Magpies against Bolton, while Sessegnon has scored eight times for the Black Cats.
However, Redknapp – who angered Newcastle earlier this season by revealing there was a release clause in striker Demba Ba’s contract – felt that he didn’t need them at the time that they were available.
He said: “We could have had Sessegnon at one time, I think.
“The people who work for me weren’t really convinced at the time.
“They were watching him, and they didn’t feel that he was any better than what we had, in all honesty.
“We still had Pavlyuchenko here, and Defoe, but (Sessegnon) is a talent, there’s no doubt about that – a really good player in behind the striker.
“The boy at Newcastle’s a good player as well. He’s a talent, Ben Arfa. He’s similar, another good little dribbler.
“We probably could have had him as well, but you can’t take everyone, can you?
“You end up with dozens of players hanging around, and we’ve got good players here anyway, so he might not have got in our team.”
When he was asked if he regretted not taking Sessegnon when he had the chance, he said: “Do I regret not taking Sessegnon? Not really.
“He’s a good little player but I’ve got (Rafeal) Van der Vaart. You’re just going to cause yourself a bigger problem.
“Rafa plays there really, in behind the striker, and he’s not going to be happy sitting around and not playing.
“Rafa scores goals and makes goals. He’s a top player, so you can’t just say ‘oh, I’ll have him, and him’.
“Some football clubs end up with too many, and all you have is problems.”
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