EVERTON’S hopes for signing Tom Huddlestone were last night boosted after a source close to the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder revealed he is desperate to play regular Premier League football.

Three undisclosed clubs have had bids of £8.5million accepted for the player and with Goodison Park manager David Moyes a long-time admirer of the former England under-21 international, Everton’s name has been strongly mentioned.

The source close to Huddlestone is quoted as saying: “Tom has been frustrated at Spurs. “Harry (Redknapp) came in and he started the next 10 games.

“Then Wilson Palacios arrived and he barely played. When Capello mentioned Tom as one for the future, he knew he needed to play regularly to achieve that.

“Tom has been told Spurs want him to stay but things can change.

“Everyone has a price, and Sunderland have money to spend and are looking to bring players in.

“He’s a quality player who can pass with both feet as well as anyone.”

Huddlestone’s determination to seek regular football away from White Hart Lane intensified after England coach Fabio Capello earmarked him as a potential star of the future in his national side.

Sunderland are one of the clubs believed to be in for the 22-year-old but if Everton are an interested party then they should have few problems convincing the former Derby County man to come to Goodison Park ahead of the Black Cats who only survived relegation on the final day of last season.

A more serious challenge for Huddlestone’s signature could come from one of the other sides in the race – possibly Aston Villa or Fulham – who like Everton could offer the player Europa League football next season.

Those options may also favour Nottingham-born Huddlestone in that he could either stay in London or return closer to his roots in the Midlands.

Meanwhile, reports in the Iberian peninsula suggest Everton are in negotiations with Atletico Madrid to sign former Arsenal star Jose Antonio Reyes.

The 25-year-old’s career has taken a downturn since leaving the Gunners in the summer of 2006 but it is suggested that Moyes is willing to take a gamble on the talented player who could be available for a knockdown £4m fee.

Reyes spent last season on loan in Portugal with Benfica, playing 24 games and scoring four goals.

However, the Lisbon giants are believed to be in financial difficulty which has made a permanent deal for the Spaniard highly unlikely.

Despite being just 25, Reyes has already played for five different clubs – Sevilla, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Benfica.

He began his career with Sevilla and was a teenage sensation, scoring 22 goals in 86 league games from a left-wing position, prompting Arsene Wenger to spend £10.5million on him in January 2004.

Reyes netted 16 times in 69 Premier League outings for the Gunners but despite signing a new five-year deal in July 2005 he complained of homesickness and joined Real Madrid on loan in 2006.

He then joined cross-town rivals Atletico but failed to make a big impact and after winning 21 caps and being part of Spain’s last World Cup squad he has drifted out of his country’s international set-up. With a return to the Vicente Calderon Stadium where he has struggled in the past on the cards, Reyes would welcome the chance to resurrect his career with a fresh challenge.