As the January Transfer begins Tottenham occupy third position in the Barclays Premier League table. This is a very admirable achievement considering the changes experienced by Andre Villas-Boas side during the summer.
The young Portuguese manager will be looking to further improve Spurs’ chances of finishing in a Champions League position at the end of the season. Therefore, Spurs fans should expect activity during the current window.
Here’s a look at the players Tottenham have recently been linked to.
Joao Moutinho 26, CM (Porto) Dieumerci Mbokani 27, CF (Anderlecht) Willian 24, FW (Shakhtar Donetsk) Leandrom Damiao 23 (Internacional) Fernando Llorente 27, CF (Atletico) Younes Belhanda 22, AM (Montpellier) Lewis Holtby 22, AM (Schalke)
Joao Moutinho
Tottenham are poised to renew their interest in Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho this January according to various sources.
Spurs failed to complete a club-record during the summer but this hasn’t stopped AVB chasing the Portugal international.
However, Porto are reluctant to sell their star man, even for £20 million plus. Moutinho’s current side have qualified for the Champions League’s knockout stages, which begin in February, and president Pinto da Costa insists they will not sell while the club are still in competition and retain a chance of domestic success.
Dieumerci Mbokani
Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani has revealed it is his dream to play in the Premier League amid on-going speculation linking him Tottenham and various other EPL sides.
Sky Sports reports how several top-flight clubs in England have been monitoring the Congolese international, with a view to making a bid in the January transfer window.
Spurs are also keeping tabs of Mbokani’s situation. With Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor the only options that Andre Villas-Boas has at White Hart Lane at the moment, he too could re-enter the market for another forward this month.
Willian
24-year-old winger Willian has been one of the stars of Shakhtar Donetsk’s Champions League campaign.
“We got in touch with Willian [in the summer] and he is one of the players that interests us,” Villas-Boas said in the Daily Mirror “I like his style, but we could not reach the value Shakhtar were asking. It does not mean we won’t try again.
This clearly hints at a potential move for the Brazilian this January.
Leandro Damiao
Internacional striker Damiao, 23, impressed at the Olympics where he was the tournament’s top scorer.
Tottenham are reportedly keen to sign a third striker this January. AVB considers Damiao a good fit for the London club. ‘He had a spectacular Olympics. We follow the best players and youngsters. Leandro fits this profile.’
“He has had injuries after London 2012, but he is a player that is always on our list’
Fernando Llorente
The Athletic Bilbao striker is currently a hot property in the transfer market and might be on his way out of the Spanish club as Tottenham show their interest.
Fernando Llorente has been under Spurs’ radar for quite some time now. The Spanish striker is a phenomenal talent and with Andres Villas Boas in charge at White Hart Lane we cannot rule a move out.
Younes Belhanda
Tottenham are poised to make a £10million offer for Montpellier’s Younes Belhanda in January.
The 22-year-old playmaker was named France’s young player of the year last season and has attracted attention from Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Tottenham’s scouting team have been scouring Europe to find a suitable replacement for Luka Modric and, while manager Andre Villas-Boas is a keen fan of Joao Moutinho at Porto, Belhanda could represent better value for money.
Lewis Holtby
Tottenham have emerged as the frontrunner to sign German Lewis Holtby.
The 22-year-old Schalke midfielder is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club from today and Spurs have reportedly jumped ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool in the queue of English suitors.
Holtby and his representatives have already informed Schalke he will be leaving at the end of the season, with the Premier League the likely destination given the player’s English heritage.