Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admits he'd have to smash the club's wage structure to sign either Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch or Real Madrid's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
The Daily Mail says Tottenham's senior players are on a basic wage of about £50,000 a week, which falls some way short of the £75,000 a week that Crouch and Huntelaar are currently earning.
Redknapp said: "Portsmouth are trying to sell Crouchy and both Sunderland and Fulham are also interested. I like him but it is an awful lot of money for a 28-year-old because there is no return.
"His salary is high and I don't think it will be possible for us to do it. 'Daniel spoke to Real Madrid and went over to meet the people (for Huntelaar), but his wages are beyond us. I think Stuttgart were trying to do a deal, but Real Madrid were not prepared to do the deal they wanted. I am sure we would have the same problem. I can't see it happening.
"Wages are difficult. We pay good money but we don't pay crazy money so it's hard. I was interested in Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz, but we couldn't get anywhere near them."