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I rejected Tottenham three or four times – they sent a private jet but I didn’t show up

This former Aston Villa star also plied his trade for Tottenham but admits he turned down the north London club a few times before signing

By Ben Crawford · Football London

Published: Saturday, 19 September 2026 at 3:30 AM

Key Things to Know

Alan Hutton revealed he rejected Tottenham three or four times before agreeing to a £9 million transfer.
Hutton skipped a chartered private jet sent by Tottenham because he was hesitant to leave boyhood club Rangers.
Rangers owner David Murray met with Hutton in Edinburgh and ultimately told him he needed to accept the move.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Aston Villa and Tottenham defender Alan Hutton revealed he initially turned down a transfer to Spurs three or four times in January 2008. The right-back refused multiple approaches from the Premier League club, even failing to board a private jet Tottenham chartered to fly him down from Rangers before eventually completing a £9 million move.

Hutton explained that Rangers owner David Murray ultimately urged him to accept the transfer. During his spell in north London, Hutton made 66 appearances and started in Tottenham's 2-1 League Cup final victory over Chelsea in 2008 before later spending eight years at Aston Villa.

Read the full article on Football London

I rejected Tottenham three or four times – they sent a private jet but I didn’t show up

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