Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham have missed out on a deadline day swoop for FC Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho.Moutinho had been linked with a move to White Hart Lane throughout the summer, though a deal appeared unlikely earlier this week when manager Andre Villas-Boas all but gave up on agreeing to terms with his former club Porto. However, widespread reports in the English press claim a £22 million deal was made between the clubs as the transfer deadline loomed.

Villas-Boas had identified Moutinho as the ideal replacement for Luka Modric, and seemed to have landed his top transfer target as Spurs entered negotiations with Moutinho's agents. But the deal collapsed when individual terms could not be met.

Negotiations were complicated by Moutinho's former club Sporting Lisbon who would take 25 per cent of any sale from Porto, while a third-party investor also owns 15 per cent of the player's economic rights.

The Guardian reports Spurs had a request for extra time to complete the deal rejected.

Porto ace Joao Moutinho has branded Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas 'one of the best coaches in Europe' amid speculation Spurs could revive their interest in the midfielder in January.

Villas-Boas confirmed earlier this month a deal to bring Moutinho to White Hart Lane this summer collapsed on transfer deadline day, despite a £22million fee being agreed.

Reports suggest the North Londoners could resume their pursuit of the Portugual international in the winter transfer window and while the 25-year-old says he is focused on Porto, he admits he is an admirer of Tottenham's manager.

He was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror: "Tottenham is not in my head now, although I was flattered by the interest, especially by the coach. Andre Villas-Boas is one of the best coaches in Europe today.

"The transfer window is closed but now I am focused on Porto and prefer not to talk about something which may or may not happen.

"Porto is a club which offers maximum stability to help me show my best level.

"I cannot talk about anything else until that changes."

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor is out of Tottenham's Europa League clash with Lazio due to a hamstring injury.

Sky Sports sources understand Roma general manager Franco Baldini is being targeted for a possible role at Tottenham Hotspur.

The White Hart Lane outfit are considering bringing in an experienced figure to work under new manager Andre Villas-Boas in a role similar to that which was held by former director of football Damien Comolli.

Spurs are believed to be keen to restructure their scouting and player recruitment under Villas-Boas, with the new man expected to work alongside the manager and chairman Daniel Levy.

Baldini worked as No.2 to former England manager Fabio Capello before leaving his post to join the Serie A club in October 2011.

Levy is looking to bring back a more continental style hierarchy at White Hart Lane, with Comolli not being replaced in the wake of his departure in October 2008.

Tottenham Hotspur's Brad Friedel has hit back at Fabien Barthez after the French keeper questioned his number one status at the club.

Friedel's starting position was called into question with the signing of Hugo Lloris on deadline day, but the 41-year-old has started every game since the deal.

Barthez could not understand manager Andre Villas-Boas's selection decisions, however, rating Lloris as one of the best keepers in the world.

"Lloris is one of the five best goalkeepers in the world," he told Le Parisien.

"He is faster than Friedel, he jumps higher and he is very strong mentally.

"What is happening now is incomprehensible, but I'm not concerned. He will become the centre-piece of the club. Hugo is a calm guy, a good worker. Tottenham will not let him stay on the bench for a long time."

Friedel took to Twitter to respond to the comments, saying: "Just saw barthez comments. I normally don't comment on such c**p but when disrespected by someone I don't respect I must.

"Barthez was ignorant, disrespectful and out of order to mention my name."

Friedel currently holds the record for the most consecutive appearances in the Premier League having not missed a game since May 15, 2004.

Die Tottenham Hotspurs haben die finanziellen Reserven noch nicht ausgeschöpft. Wie die spanische ‚as‘ berichtet, planen die ‚Spurs‘ mehrere Wintertransfers. Um die Torausbeute zu verbessern, soll vom FC Valencia der Brasilianer Jonas kommen. Ebenfalls aus der Primera División hat der Tabellenfünfte der Premier League Isco vom FC Málaga im Visier.

Beim Spanier Isco stehen die Chancen auf eine Verpflichtung allerdings eher schlecht. „Ich bin mit dem Kopf voll und ganz bei Málaga“, erklärte der 20-jährige Shootingstar unlängst. Da der FC Valencia hingegen auf Transfereinkünfte angewiesen ist, ist ein Wechsel von Jonas durchaus denkbar. Der Brasilianer wäre jedoch nicht günstig zu haben. Sein Vertrag läuft noch bis 2015 und in der laufenden Champions League-Saison erzielte er in zwei Spielen bereits zwei Treffer.

Andre Villas-Boas has positive news with Kyle Naughton and Jake Livermore pushing for returns against Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel has revealed that he will consider his options at the end of the season.

The American veteran has retained his place as the Spurs No.1 this season, despite the arrival of French international Hugo Lloris in the closing stages of the summer transfer window.

However, the 41-year-old is in the final year of his contract at White Hart Lane, and was far from clear about what his intentions will be when the current campaign draws to a conclusion.

"I'm definitely looking at all the possibilities for next season," Friedel told Sports Illustrated, according to Goal.com.

Were the former Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers star to retire, it would not be because of the rivalry with Lloris, which Friedel describes as ‘friendly’.

The former Lyon star has reportedly been unhappy at his treatment by manager Andre Villas-Boas after finding himself on the bench for the majority of games this season, but Friedel insists it’s something the media have created more than actually exists.

“The media wanted to make out that it was this big fight between Hugo and myself and the manager, but there was never a big fight,” Friedel is quoted as saying in the Metro.

“The fact is Tottenham have been looking for the last year and a half for a long-term number one goalkeeper. I don’t think they envisioned what my fitness levels would be at this age and I sort of surprised myself. So we have a competition now. It’s healthy, but there’s a competition. It’s friendly.”

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from Saturday’s 4-2 defeat to Chelsea when they meet Maribor in the Europa League on Thursday night – a competition Lloris has featured in regularly this season.

Mousa Dembele remains out for Thursday's Europa League clash against NK Maribor but Andre Villas-Boas is hopeful the midfielder will be available to face Southampton on Sunday."

Dembele is making a slow return but Southampton is a possibility," said Andre ahead of training at Maribor's Ljudski vrt Stadium on Wednesday night.

Emmanuel Adebayor is out with a back problem while Andre reported that Gareth Bale hadn't travelled out to Slovenia for family reasons.

"Ade felt a pain in his back that he's had for quite some time," added Andre. "He had it last seasson and felt it in the first session after the Chelsea game.

"On Benoit, we're looking at two more weeks, hopefully, and Scotty and Kaboul are both working hard in recovery.

Tottenham are keen on a shock move for unsettled Man City goal-machine Edin Dzeko, reports the Epping Forest Guardian.
The Bosnian star has voiced his disillusionment with his bit-part role at the Etihad this season but has been on prolific from the bench, scoring last minute winners against Fulham and West Brom in consecutive weeks.
Former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp enquired about Dzeko while the striker was still at Wolfsburg but the North Londoners were blown out of the water when City offered £27m for the star.
But Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has now reignited his interested in Dzeko and is preparing to make City an offer in January.
Emmanuel Adebayor has not started a single league game this season, with injury and the form of the Jermain Defoe restricting his opportunities, and there is already suggestion that the Togolese striker could demand an exit in January, with former City teammate Dzeko a like-for-like replacement.
One stumbling block could be the Bosnia and Herzegovina international’s £170,000 wages and Spurs may attempt to negotiate a loan deal similar to the one that initially took Adebayor to White Hart Lane, with the Champions paying some of Dzeko’s wages.
The 26-year-old has only started two league matches this campaign and rejected the tag of ‘super-sub’ after he came on to score two in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over the Baggies ten days ago.
“I always used to play from the beginning (for Wolfsburg) and I scored a lot of goals - not as a sub,” Dzeko said.
“In the last few games the situation has been like this and I’m just happy to be scoring goals. But I will never be a super-sub, I want to play.”
Dzeko has made 17 appearances this season for club and country, scoring 11 goals in the process.