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I regret choosing not to sign Suarez - Redknapp

Luis Suarez has already scored twice this season © Getty Images

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Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has admitted that he regrets opting against signing Luis Suarez, after the start the Uruguayan has made to life at Liverpool.

Spurs were strongly linked with the Ajax hitman during the early part of the January transfer window - with their futile search for a new striker eventually leading to a well-documented flurry of bids on deadline day - but ultimately decided against pursuing the transfer, with Liverpool stepping in to complete his £22 million signature.

Suarez has already scored twice in four league appearances this term after a fine first six months in English football, and Redknapp admits he was wrong in his belief that the 24-year-old wasn't versatile enough to lead the line for a top team.

"We looked at Suarez," said Redknapp. "That was a player who we probably should have took, looking back on it now.

"The fee was £30-odd million and that's a lot of money. We thought he played a bit like Van der Vaart as well.

"We were looking for a target man but I have seen him play up on his own and he can do that. He can play anywhere. He can do anything. He is a top-class, fantastic player."

Suarez's form has seen him force fellow January signing Andy Carroll into the margins so far this season, with the powerful striker limited to substitute appearances in recent weeks. The England international joined from Newcastle at the same time as Suarez - for a record £35m fee - and Redknapp confirmed he was also interested in signing the 22-year-old.

"He is a real handful," Redknapp said. "He is a great header of the ball. When you go up against him you know you have had a game, that's for sure.

"We thought about signing him but we weren't in to spending £35m on one player."

Redknapp will have the chance to face both when Liverpool travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday for their Premier League fixture. He believes the game could have a big impact on the race for fourth and Champions League football, even so early in the season.

"This is a big game for us," Redknapp said. "It will be them, us and Arsenal scrapping it out for the Champions League this year.

"They have spent a lot but they got £50million for [Fernando] Torres. They have wealthy owners and they want to be back where they were.

"Liverpool is one of the greatest football clubs in the world and they don't want to be out of the Champions League. They want to be back in there. They have invested trying to do that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.