Cardiff couple Caulker and Marshall linked to Spurs

After an efficient pre-season last summer, Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to get off to a similar start and, according to sources, have identified Cardiff duo; centre half Steven Caulker and goalkeeper David Marshall as prospective targets.

Spurs, who are 50/1 shots for the Premier League title next term, saw their odds shorten dramatically after their strengthening last year, despite losing Gareth Bale. Stranger things have happened; just look at Liverpool’s progress this term. As Cardiff prepare for life in the Championship again, predators are beginning to circle the Bluebirds, and Caulker and Marshall are seen as two of the best feathers in their cap.

A bid for Cardiff’s impressive keeper will depend on whether Hugo Lloris is tempted away from White Hart Lane, with the north London club earning a reputation for selling their best players over years, for albeit premium prices.

Caulker, irrepressible this season for the Welsh club, is 5/1 to make Roy Hodgson’s England squad and only completed a permanent deal last summer from Spurs.

A lot of the transfer plans at White Hart Lane could depend on who is in charge. Tim Sherwood’s future is looking bleak, with top managers from around Europe linked in recent weeks. It is hardly a secret however, that chairman Daniel Levy dictates the transfer policy at the club, and no doubt he will have his own targets in mind.

Question marks hang over several players, including some of the recent signings. It is the defence that could be in line for the biggest surgery, and Jan Vertonghen has been linked with a move away after impressive performances since his switch from Ajax.

Caulker knows the club, has proven himself in difficult circumstances for Cardiff, and already has an understanding with keeper Marshall, so the two transfers could make perfect sense.

It is all about margins for Levy. While the margin for error next term is slim, he will acknowledge Spurs still need quality to compete.