Andre Villas-Boas has once more made clear that Tottenham are determined to keep hold of Real Madrid target Gareth Bale.
The Welshman has been increasingly linked with interest from Madrid, with Marca yesterday providing speculation that the player already has a provisional contract agreement lined up with Los Blancos.
Reports in England, meanwhile, suggest that Manchester United are also preparing a bid, having lined up a substantial budget for the 24-year-old.
“On Gareth I want to repeat what I was telling you last season and what I was telling you from the beginning of pre-season so I cannot extend myself,” Villas-Boas has countered this week.
“He's a player that we are willing to continue to have, he's a Tottenham player, he's one of the most fantastic players in the world and we are counting on him for the future.”
The Portuguese tactician also commented on Spurs’ interest in Valencia’s Roberto Soldado.
“At the moment, he’s just one of the players we are interested in. It’s not a lie to anybody that we’ve been looking for a striker to strengthen our squad and to have more strength in depth.
“Roberto is one of the players we have been following and his career speaks for itself. He’s a great striker. But there isn’t a deal being struck at the moment, it’s just interest and conversations.”
Those conversations so far have been unsuccessful, with the club’s technical director Franco Baldini yesterday returning to London having failed to agree a price with Valencia for the 28-year-old.
