Ricketts, Sam and Wanderers' cash dilemma

HARD cash - or rather the lack of it - could lead to frustration all round as Wanderers continue the countdown to Friday's transfer deadline.

Wantaway striker Michael Ricketts appears no nearer getting the move he wants while Sam Allardyce is struggling to get the finance together to land the striker he needs to boost his strikeforce.

There is now the distinct possibility that the transfer window could close without any deals being done.

As Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle admitted he was running out of time to prise Ricketts away from the Reebok, Middlesbrough were reported to be poised to enter the race. Allardyce categorically denied having any contact with Boro while Hoddle suggested things had stalled. "There are a couple of options open to us and Ricketts is one of them," he confirmed. "But it's proving very difficult to push any deals through."

Meanwhile, Allardyce has admitted hitting "rocky ground" on the financial aspect of his attempt to sign Valencia striker Salva Ballesta on loan.

Indeed, the financial constraints are causing confusion and fuelling frustration at the Reebok.

Allardyce and his players go into Tuesday night's first of two crucial home games desperate for victory and disappointed by the debilitating effect of the club's £34 million debt.

Wanderers are deep in relegation trouble, top of the bottom four who are cast adrift of the pack above them.

Allardyce has been desperately searching for new blood during the transfer window but he is becoming increasingly concerned that his small budget may not be enough to enhance his squad.

The board's hands are equally tied by the size of the debt which is largely as a result of borrowing to build the Reebok Stadium and adjoining Whites de Vere hotel.

Time is tight with the transfer window closing on Friday and the manager has warned Tottenham that their deadline for taking Michael Ricketts will be 48 hours earlier if he fails to sign a striker in the meantime.

"The debts are overshadowing the progress of the football club and there is nothing I can do about that," he admitted. "I have not had much sleep for the last two weeks.

"I was more hopeful two or three weeks ago that the prices of the strikers I was looking at would reduce but that has not happened sufficiently to fit into our budget.

"One striker is crucial but we only have until Friday and it will be very difficult to do it in that time but we will keep on trying."

The lack of cash is also a topic under discussion among the players with defender Simon Charlton declaring: "The players check the papers every day but it's very quiet.

"A few of the players have been thinking the manager needs to bring in someone to put the ball into the net but those kind of players cost multi-millions.

"We are playing well apart from scoring goals."

Charlton also believes Wanderers' inability to spend more money would prove to be false economy if the club is relegated because of it.

He explained: "If the worst happened and we went down the club would lose an awful lot more money than if they took a gamble and splashed out a bit more than they want to now."

Allardyce's best chance of getting the spending money he needs is by selling Ricketts but he says that if he fails to bring in a replacement before Thursday the striker will be staying at the Reebok for the rest of the season.

"If I don't get anybody in in the meantime Michael does not go. The deadline for him moving is Wednesday unless I get someone in before because there will be no time after that for me to replace him."

Allardyce played down the prospect of Ricketts being jeered by his own fans against Everton after he received a hostile reception from travelling supporters at Newcastle last Wednesday.

"It will not matter to anybody as long as he does the business for us," he predicted.

Wanderers have fit-again Mike Whitlow, Per Frandsen and Jay Jay Okocha back in the squad with Paul Warhurst the only injury victim.