Lennon's red revolution

Manchester United and Liverpool are set for a summer tug of war over £20million-rated Spurs star Aaron Lennon.

00:00, Sat, May 2, 2009

SUMMER UPRISING Lennon could follow in the footsteps of Carrick and Berbatov SUMMER UPRISING: Lennon could follow in the footsteps of Carrick and Berbatov

Liverpool expressed their interest in winger Lennon in January, but United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has now joined in the fray, as he is convinced he will lose both Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez at the end of the season.

With Ryan Giggs nearing the end of his glittering career, Ferguson badly needs back-up and Lennon has been told he can make his dream move to Old Trafford this summer.

Although Spurs will try desperately hard to keep Lennon, the reality is that the player will get his way and looks set to leave White Hart Lane, just as Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick have done in the past two seasons.

Ferguson is aware of Liverpool’s interest, but in a straight fight between the two, Lennon would choose United in order to further his England ambitions and to play under the most decorated manager in the history of the game.

Lennon has started to fully deliver on his enormous potential this season and although he has just signed a two-year extension to his contract, meaning his £50,000-a-week deal ends in 2014, the reality is Spurs would be powerless to keep him if Manchester United or Liverpool can reach their £20m valuation.

Leeds-born Lennon, 22, was snapped up from his home-town team by Spurs five years ago for just £1m and since then he has won 11 full England caps.

He has electrified the Premier League with his pace and, although Lennon is still very much a rough diamond as his crossing and finishing ability is at best modest, Ferguson believes he has the makings of another Ryan Giggs.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy moved heaven and earth to try to keep Berbatov away from Ferguson’s clutches last summer, but eventually a £30m deal between the clubs was agreed.

Levy will be similarly intransigent with Lennon but, again, the player will move if Spurs’ valuation is reached.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp wants to spend heavily this summer and, although in an ideal world he would not want Lennon to leave, the cash would be used for team strengthening with £15m-rated Boro winger Stewart Downing a target.