Harry Redknapp has revealed that he considered signing Luis Suárez in January but opted against making a bid after being told by scouts that the Uruguayan was not up to the grade.

Redknapp's tantalising disclosure will set Tottenham Hotspur supporters wondering what might have been, as Suárez went on to sign for Liverpool and become a major factor in that club's reinvigoration, while Spurs' attempt to qualify for the Champions League fizzled out largely because of their inability to turn possession into goals.

Suárez will be seeking to show Spurs what they missed on Sunday, as Liverpool meet Redknapp's team at Anfield in a match that could determine which of the sides finishes fifth. Redknapp said he dispatched numerous scouts to watch Suárez at Ajax before Liverpool paid £22.8m for him but was informed that the player was not adept at leading the line and was too similar to Rafael van der Vaart, for whom Spurs were seeking a partner rather than a replacement. Ultimately Spurs made failed offers for others strikers, including Fernando Llorente and Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi. "We kept looking at [Suárez] but people thought he couldn't play up as a striker," said Redknapp.

"They said he's like Rafa [van der Vaart] and you can't have him and Rafa or you'd have two players who want to drop deep, so that was the problem. We were looking for someone to play up front with Rafa. People said he couldn't do that, he drifts and comes deep. But he played up front on his own the other night [against Fulham on Monday] and he was fantastic."

Not only has Suárez created many chances for team-mates since his arrival at Anfield, but in his 11 league appearances he has also scored four goals – the same as Spurs' Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe have each managed in the league all season.

Those players' failure to find the net regularly, and the inconsistency of Spurs' other striker, Roman Pavlyuchenko, is the chief reason that Spurs have won only one of their last 13 matches. Redknapp has made it clear he intends to be busy in the transfer market this summer and on Saturday he flies to France to run the rule over one potential target.

"If we want to get in the top four next year, we'll have to push on," stated Redknapp, who says rival managers have told him they are going to spend heavily in the summer. "They're all going to have a go next year, make no mistake. I talk to all the managers: Manchester United are going to have a go again, Chelsea will have a go again, Manchester City are going to have a massive go, Liverpool are going to make a big push. I haven't spoken to Arsène Wenger but I imagine Arsenal will have a go as well this year, so it's going to be even tougher to get into that top four next season."

Spurs' failure to make the top four this season has led to criticism from some of the club's fans, but Redknapp insists the club have enjoyed a "fantastic" season – citing the victories over the Milan clubs in the Champions League as highlights – and said Spurs would have made the top four again if not for the back injury that afflicted Gareth Bale in January and caused him to miss four matches.

"When Gareth got injured that was a massive setback for us - we would have had an extra four or five points and we'd have got there." He dismissed as cranks the fans who blame Redknapp for the disappointing results in the last two months. "They don't have any brains, do they? Who rings up radio stations? Idiots. When I start worrying about what they think I'll be in trouble. 99.9% of people who go to Tottenham have loved everything they've seen."