Spurs chase ‘The Hammer’ and other red-hot gossip

Tottenham are hot on the heels of Lazio midfielder Thomas 'The Hammer' Hitzlsperger. The 27-year-old German international has struggled to settle in Italy and is believed to welcome a return to the EPL where he once played for Aston Villa. Elsewhere, Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, reportedly involved in a recent training ground bust-up with team-mate Andy Carroll, will leave for Everton or Aston Villa in the summer; Everton are being linked with a move for Dinamo Zagreb's Croatian centre-forward Mario Mandzukic; and Rafael Benitez says Liverpool have no cash to give him for a summer spending spree.