Football FanCast columnist Hans Schmitz feels that Spurs need to move on and quick

When Dimitar Berbatov revealed his desire to move on to Manchester United this morning, I doubt many Spurs fans were surprised. Such has been the rumours and rumblings in recent weeks; it was only a matter of time before the player piped up to force the move. I have to say I bare no bad feeling for Berbatov; a player who has been an absolute privilege to watch at the Lane, but I would be lying if I didn't think the club have made a mess out of this whole episode.

The club can moan as much as they like about United and the possibility that he was illegally approached, but the fact of the matter is the player no longer wanted to play for the football club; long before the season ended. He wants Champions League football and we cannot provide it at this moment in this time, so why wait until the season starts before selling him on; surely this should have been resolved in the first weeks? What were we hoping for a change of heart - talk about taking a calculated risk? Juande Ramos should not have had to wait until to the final weeks of the window to replace his strike-force. It is a ridiculous scenario and hardly beneficial for a manager who is trying to rebuild the football club.

So who should the club bring in to replace Berbatov? I think every available striker in Europe has been linked at some point, but as yet no new arrivals. My personal choices would either be Ruud van Nistelrooy or the return of Freddie Kanoute. Both players who possess wonderful attributes and who are more than capable of playing the lone striker role, which is clearly the preferred option.

I feel the club have let this sorry episode go on for far too long and the sooner we get in a couple of strikers the better. It is time we stopped haggling for the best deals and get the players sold and new ones brought in. If Zenit want £19.7m for Arshavin then pay the money; it's not as if we didn't get that money for Keane, the longer we drag our feet the more chance we have of jeopardising our season.