THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — Tottenham completed a deal Saturday to buy Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow, strengthening an attack that has been depleted in the off-season.
Tottenham did not disclose details of the deal, which comes just two days before the Premier League transfer window closes. The 26-year-old Pavlyuchenko should provide a significant boost to Spurs, who have struggled in the opening weeks of the season following the reluctant sale of Robbie Keane to Liverpool and a lengthy impasse over Dimitar Berbatov’s likely transfer to Manchester United.
Pavlyuchenko had been linked with Spurs since scoring three goals in Russia’s surprise run to the European Championship semifinals in June. He also scored both goals in Russia’s 2-1 win over England in Moscow in a Euro 2008 qualifier last year.
Tottenham has also been trying to sign Russia playmaker Andrei Arshavin from Zenit St. Petersburg, but that deal stalled after the Russian club said Spurs had failed to meet its deadline for an improved bid.