Soccer:Everton have agreed a fee with Tottenham for South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar. The Merseyside club announced tonight they had given the 28-year-old permission to speak to Spurs, who had an initial offer turned down last week.

Pienaar, who is out of contract at the end of the season, would now seem to have a choice between Spurs and London rivals Chelsea, who have already had a bid accepted by Everton.

Spurs have led the chase for the South Africa star for some time and had considered a pre-contract deal that would see them land him on a free transfer in the summer.

Chelsea’s bid threw a spanner in the works, with the champions keen to bolster a squad that failed to cope with injuries to key midfielders Frank Lampard and Michael Essien earlier this season.

Tottenham have an embarrassment of riches in that position, having handled their own injury problems well, but Pienaar’s all-action approach might give them something different.

It may also convince manager Harry Redknapp to sell Niko Kranjcar, who has fallen down the pecking order at White Hart Lane and has previously expressed a desire for first-team football.