AVB Confirms Interest In Damaio And Willian

[Drifter]

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed his interest in bringing Brazil pair Leandro Damiao and Willian to White Hart Lane.

Internacional striker Damiao, 23, impressed at the Olympics where he was the tournament's top scorer, while 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.

"Shakhtar are a difficult club to negotiate with as they do not need the money and can keep their players.

"For Damiao, 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."

Meanwhile, Villas-Boas says Tottenham will not stand in Emmanuel Adebayor's way should he change his mind and decide to go to the African Nations Cup.

Adebayor scored just his third goal of the season as Tottenham moved up to third in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Reading at White Hart Lane on New Year's Day.

Adebayor released a statement last month insisting he would not go to the African Nations Cup due to a row over unpaid bonuses, although he later claimed the real reason behind his omission was because he did not want to stoke up memories of the deadly gun attack on the Togo squad during the 2010 tournament in Angola.

Villas-Boas said it was yet to be decided whether Adebayor would attend the three-week long tournament in South Africa, and also admitted he would be powerless to stop the player leaving should he decide to come out of international exile.

"It's a vulnerable situation, anything can happen," the Tottenham manager said.

"I've told you the player can still go, I understand it is still a possibility.

"It was always his choice, I'm not going to put pressure on him. We've left it to the player to decide. If player wants to go, we respect the African Nations Cup."

Adebayor has found goals hard to come by this term, but he combined well with Jermain Defoe again as Spurs ran out winners against Reading, with Clint Dempsey and Michael Dawson also getting on the scoresheet.

Villas-Boas was delighted to see Adebayor back among the goals.

"It was important for him today to score," he said. "He had a couple of situations recently against Sunderland and Villa, it was important for him to get back into the goals.

"Strikers live off goals, it was important for him to score. You see him trying like Jermain Defoe, Clint, and how decisive he is also.

"They want to get in the box, they breathe off scoring goals and it will give him a boost for sure."

 

[Buchan]

They will be a formidable force if they manage to add those two to their ranks.

I suspect the two Brazilians have their eyes set on a team more prestigious than Spurs though, no disrespect intended.

 

[Ekeke]

Would be great signings for Spurs, but I'd like to think that both of them would rather go somewhere else at the very least thanks to the way Levy deals with players moving on. If either player were to go to Spurs it would be a stepping stone to a top club and certainly not a destination for the rest of their careers. Levy seems determined to make it almost impossible to sign for a couple of years, prove yourself and move on to a better club. So most likely both players will go to one of the several other clubs who are just as good but wouldnt be as difficult, no?

 

[antohan]

Surely they can sort that out with a reasonable release clause? If Levy won't play ball with that then you opt not to sign, but Spurs is a great stepping stone for either of them and shouldn't be dismissed.

 

[SilentWitness]

If they managed to get both of those i wouldn't be so sure that it would be a stepping stone. They'd have more than enough to be able to get into the CL. From that they could tighten up more weak spots in the side and challenge for 3rd in the league.

 

[The Black Pearl]

They will be a formidable force if they manage to add those two to their ranks.

I suspect the two Brazilians have their eyes set on a team more prestigious than Spurs though, no disrespect intended.

A PL club more than capable of qualifying for the CL this season and for a few to come with the looks of things is about as good as they'll get especially considering they'll probably get plenty of game time.

 

[Ivor Ballokov]

AVB has clearly found some transfer tactics notes left in Harry Redknapp's old desk

 

[RedRover]

They will be a formidable force if they manage to add those two to their ranks.

I suspect the two Brazilians have their eyes set on a team more prestigious than Spurs though, no disrespect intended.

Depends who wants them. Spurs are arguably a top 4 side and they'll be happy to live in London no doubt.

They've been repeatedly linked with "bigger" clubs but nothing's happened.

 

[Ekeke]

Surely they can sort that out with a reasonable release clause? If Levy won't play ball with that then you opt not to sign, but Spurs is a great stepping stone for either of them and shouldn't be dismissed.

Pretty sure Spurs wouldnt be open to that. Penny pinchers that they are

 

[Ekeke]

If they managed to get both of those i wouldn't be so sure that it would be a stepping stone. They'd have more than enough to be able to get into the CL. From that they could tighten up more weak spots in the side and challenge for 3rd in the league.

Both players will have dreams of being more than a 3rd in the league player. Chelsea wanted Willian and couldnt get him. But he's been one of the very top performers in the champions league this season. On that form I'm sure its only a handful of clubs that would say no thanks.

Damaio was Brazil's top striker. I dont know how hes doing recently but I'd imagine he'll have his share of clubs to choose from that will offer champions league football too

 

[SilentWitness]

Both players will have dreams of being more than a 3rd in the league player. Chelsea wanted Willian and couldnt get him. But he's been one of the very top performers in the champions league this season. On that form I'm sure its only a handful of clubs that would say no thanks.

Damaio was Brazil's top striker. I dont know how hes doing recently but I'd imagine he'll have his share of clubs to choose from that will offer champions league football too

Of course, but the Manchester clubs are too far ahead and probably will be for the next 2 or 3 years in my opinion. By then Willian/Damaio might want to move on but if Tottenham (which they could with these two, while keeping the likes of Bale and Sandro) close the gap on Chelsea/overtake them. It's all hypothetical of course but Tottenham aren't THAT far behind.

 

[Ekeke]

I think when Chelsea gel (and move past Torres) they will be. And Willian could still be part of that

I think most likely these players can go to title challengers in Italy or Germany if not Chelsea who are miles closer to challenging than Spurs are.

 

[antihenry]

Shakhtar are owned by a wealthy oligarkh, they aren't desperate to sell and knocked back a serious offer for Willian from Chelsea only last summer.

Damiao is being watched by quite a few top European clubs and will cost a pretty penny when he's sold.

Spurs will have to shell out some serious dough, at least £40m, probably more, to get those two, and convince them to join a non-CL club.

 

[GlastonSpur]

Damiao is at the same club as Sandro was when we signed the latter - a club with whom Spurs have a partnership deal. I'm pretty sure that Sandro will have nothing but good things to say to his ex-club mate about Spurs ... so I wouldn't rule out Damiao coming to us.

And then there's the Modric cash burning a hole in the club's pocket, so even Willian too is not out of the question.

 

[Ish]

I like AVB. If Spurs can nick these 2 (a proper goal scorer & someone who can add creativity "in the hole") they will be even more exciting to watch & definitely be favorites for that 4th spot. Can't see it happening now (January) though, especially in Willians case.

It will surely be a upgrade on Jermain "shoot on sight" Defoe & Emmanuel "I'm only good when I feel like playing" Adebayor.

 

[lunchforthesky]

Shakhtar are owned by a wealthy oligarkh, they aren't desperate to sell and knocked back a serious offer for Willian from Chelsea only last summer.

Damiao is being watched by quite a few top European clubs and will cost a pretty penny when he's sold.

Spurs will have to shell out some serious dough, at least £40m, probably more, to get those two, and convince them to join a non-CL club.

They made about £10m net in transfers over the summer, plus they're usually a club that can spend £20m or so anyway so I figure they'll have a reasonable amount of cash to spend this January and next Summer.

 

[VoetbalWizard]

will they go back in for moutinho or has that ship sailed?

 

[africanspur]

Would be great signings for Spurs, but I'd like to think that both of them would rather go somewhere else at the very least thanks to the way Levy deals with players moving on. If either player were to go to Spurs it would be a stepping stone to a top club and certainly not a destination for the rest of their careers. Levy seems determined to make it almost impossible to sign for a couple of years, prove yourself and move on to a better club. So most likely both players will go to one of the several other clubs who are just as good but wouldnt be as difficult, no?

Surely the players we've signed, and players already here who've signed new contract deals since the business with Modric (and indeed, since the business with Berbatov) knocks this ridiculous theory on the head?

The top top clubs cannot simply stockpile every single good player going, regardless of their seeming attempts to do exactly that. And even assuming Levy's position as some kind of devil who doesn't let these poor players move on as soon as a bigger club offers us five quid, most players are mind numbingly stupid and think about the here and now only.

As it is, I can't see us buying either one of them this January, especially as ever since Redknapp's first January when we were at serious risk of relegation, we've either made a profit or spent a very small amount net every transfer window. Though we seemed to be incredibly close to Moutinho in the summer so that should be 20 million or so we can spend.

As for convincing them to come to a non-CL club, Willian has already said multiple times he wants to come and I can only assume from our years long pursuit of Damio that at some point we've talked to him or his agent to make sure he'd actually be willing to come. But, like I said, considering we'd have to break our transfer record for both players, one of them completely untested outside the Brazilian league, I don't see this happening.

Nice to dream though.

 

[Ekeke]

Ah but you miss the important part. Its not top clubs who are better destinations than Spurs. Its just good ones.

 

[Castia]

It will cost a bit of money but if Spurs do manage to sign those 2 then they will have a very good chance of finishing in the top 4 again this season.

 

[africanspur]

You mean clubs of a similar level to us?

And actually, it doesn't miss an important point at all because, as I said, it ignores the players who we've signed since those 2 players kicked up a fuss, who chose to come to us rather than waiting out all those good clubs....

 

[Ekeke]

You mean clubs of a similar level to us?

And actually, it doesn't miss an important point at all because, as I said, it ignores the players who we've signed since those 2 players kicked up a fuss, who chose to come to us rather than waiting out all those good clubs....

Who are these players you signed on the level of someone like Willian?

 

[africanspur]

Who are these players you signed on the level of someone like Willian?

Van Der Vaart, Lloris and Vertonghen?

I have no idea how the likes of Bale, Modric and Sandro signed new contracts either tbh, considering the slavery Levy puts them under.

I'm also a little surprised at this legend that had grown around Willian tbh, it is as if we're going in for one of the best players in the world. I'm assuming you're an avid watcher of the Ukrainian league or watched with interest his 2 appearances for the Brazilian national team?

The man himself has said he wouldn't mind coming to either Chelsea or us.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-Tottenham-link-friend-Andre-Villas-Boas.html

As I said though, considering Chelsea's offer wasn't good enough for Shaktar, I can't see it happening for us. It won't be because of this deluge of offers coming in from 'good' clubs whose overall package is so much better than ours because of a lack of Levy.

 

[ciderman9000000]

Who are these players you signed on the level of someone like Willian?

Vertonghen, Dembele, VDV, Hugo Lloris and Adebayor were all respected seasoned internationals when signed by Spurs in recent times. They certainly shouldn't have any trouble attracting the likes of Willian.

 

[Ekeke]

Vertonghen, Dembele, VDV, Hugo Lloris and Adebayor were all respected seasoned internationals when signed by Spurs in recent times. They certainly shouldn't have any trouble attracting the likes of Willian.

Nobody wanted Adebayor. Who competed to sign the rest? Nobody worth mentioning. These are completely different calibre of players to someone who has been one of the best players in the champions league so far.

Chelsea were priced out of signing Willian, its likely they'll still be interested. Especially as he's one of the reasons they are out of the competition

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Nobody wanted Adebayor. Who competed to sign the rest? Nobody worth mentioning. These are completely different calibre of players to someone who has been one of the best players in the champions league so far.

Chelsea were priced out of signing Willian, its likely they'll still be interested. Especially as he's one of the reasons they are out of the competition

Weren't we interested in Dembele and VDV at various points?

 

[Ekeke]

Weren't we interested in Dembele and VDV at various points?

No.

If we didnt sign Dembele after he put in 2 masterclasses in midfield against us, I think its pretty certain we werent interested. And you can also tell we werent interested by the fact Spurs didnt have to pay £25 million to sign him

VDV? What, when?

 

[africanspur]

Nobody wanted Adebayor. Who competed to sign the rest? Nobody worth mentioning. These are completely different calibre of players to someone who has been one of the best players in the champions league so far.

Chelsea were priced out of signing Willian, its likely they'll still be interested. Especially as he's one of the reasons they are out of the competition

VDV and LLoris a different calibre of player to Willian? The same man who has 1/8 the Brazil caps as Sandro despite being a year older and who at 24 still plays in the Ukrainian league?

As I said, how many times have you actually seen Willian?

 

[Ekeke]

VDV and LLoris a different calibre of player to Willian? The same man who has 1/8 the Brazil caps as Sandro despite being a year older and who at 24 still plays in the Ukrainian league?

As I said, how many times have you actually seen Willian?

Seems you dont understand how the Brazilian national team works. Marcelo has been the best left back in the world for the past couple of years and he has just 14 caps. Politics and position strength are far more important

Lloris stagnated at Lyon and you were the only club to come in for him. He wasnt even first choice, has only just taken that from Brad Friedel.

Van Der Vaart was bought on the cheap to Madrid then flung at you at the end of the transfer window. Its not that he wasnt a good player, he was, but his reputation was in tatters when you signed him. Thats why you were the only club to take him even at a low price

 

[africanspur]

No.

If we didnt sign Dembele after he put in 2 masterclasses in midfield against us, I think its pretty certain we werent interested. And you can also tell we werent interested by the fact Spurs didnt have to pay £25 million to sign him

VDV? What, when?

The problem is, that you cannot say definitively no, just as someone else cannot say definitively yes. You were certainly linked to both at various points, whether that was just paper talk or you were actually interested is something that people working at Man utd know.

And we didn't have to spend 50 million acquiring Bale and Berbatov despite your bids for both of those players at their previous clubs.

 

[Nighteyes]

Wasn't Sandro himself a Brazilian international and a copa Libertadores winner when he joined Spurs? Modric was very highly rated at the time and had a great Euros before he joined Spurs.

 

[Ekeke]

Bale was a teen at a Championship club. His performances in his first season or so showed why we werent pushing the boat out for him and we had Evra who was at the time the best around

Berbatov ok, but that was a long time ago and we didnt exactly snap at the chance to sign him even at £10 million. We clearly wanted him though

 

[Arruda]

And you're all forgetting Postiga.

 

[Ekeke]

Wasn't Sandro himself a Brazilian international and a copa Libertadores winner when he joined Spurs? Modric was very highly rated at the time and had a great Euros before he joined Spurs.

Not sure that really compares to producing 1 less goal+assist than Leo Messi in the champions league group stage and statistically being the 3rd best player in the whole competition. All the top clubs will be keeping tabs on Willian right now, doesnt mean they'll try to buy him but chances are they wont let Spurs take him for a reasonable fee. And also it doesnt mean he's an amazing player, its just that right now his profile will be through the roof, way more-so than any of these players Spurs have signed except maybe Modric and Spurs didnt have to compete against moneybags Chelsea for him. They had to compete against Arsenal with Wenger saying hes too small

 

[africanspur]

Seems you dont understand how the Brazilian national team works. Marcelo has been the best left back in the world for the past couple of years and he has just 14 caps. Politics and position strength are far more important

Lloris stagnated at Lyon and you were the only club to come in for him. He wasnt even first choice, has only just taken that from Brad Friedel.

Van Der Vaart was bought on the cheap to Madrid then flung at you at the end of the transfer window. Its not that he wasnt a good player, he was, but his reputation was in tatters when you signed him. Thats why you were the only club to take him even at a low price

Doesn't really matter how you try to twist it. One was and still is the French captain. One was coming from Real Madrid, having played for Hamburg and Ajax in the past and has already accumulated over 100 caps for the Dutch National team. One is a 24 year old Brazilian who still plays in the Ukrainian league and who has 2 caps (though with the way you're talking about him, I'm still not 100% sure we have the right player. Its not Ronaldo or Messi right?) I see two different calibres there but the other way round from the way you're seeing it.

Lloris wasn't immediately first choice because he was signed on deadline day and AVB made clear from the beginning that a) LLoris still needed to get settled and b) AVB wanted players to earn their spots and not enter just on reputation. Needless to say, he has now started 11 games so he has been first choice for a while now.

Very very simple question again. In your avid watching of the Ukrainian league, champions league and Willian's 2 national team appearances, how many times have you seen this different calibre player play?

 

[Ekeke]

The problem is, that you cannot say definitively no, just as someone else cannot say definitively yes. You were certainly linked to both at various points, whether that was just paper talk or you were actually interested is something that people working at Man utd know.

And we didn't have to spend 50 million acquiring Bale and Berbatov despite your bids for both of those players at their previous clubs.

Are you seriously suggesting that we decided Dembele was that midfielder we were waiting all these years without buying for, and you outbid us at £15 million and we couldnt compete?

I rate him very highly but its clear the club didnt or rates our own midfielders just as highly. There is no chance whatsoever that we would let you sign him for £15 million if we actually wanted him ourselves.

 

[ciderman9000000]

Nobody wanted Adebayor. Who competed to sign the rest? Nobody worth mentioning. These are completely different calibre of players to someone who has been one of the best players in the champions league so far.

Chelsea were priced out of signing Willian, its likely they'll still be interested. Especially as he's one of the reasons they are out of the competition

Nobody wanted them... okay

You might only look as far as the quality of player Spurs have been turning out from their purchases to see why somebody like Willian would be foolish to turn them down. In recent years Dimitar Berbatov, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale have all become world class through Spurs.

Of course you might also take Willian's own words as testimony to your spouting bollocks when speaking about Chelsea and Tottenham he says:

I would love to play for either of those clubs.

And specifically on Tottenham:

Tottenham is a big club and it has a good person in charge. Andre Villas-Boas wanted to bring me to Chelsea and also tried at Tottenham. He always sends me messages. We are always in touch, and he has become a friend, for sure.

Whether you choose to admit it or not, Spurs are an upwardly mobile Premier League club which represents a very attractive destination for the world's upwardly mobile young players wanting to make a name for themselves.

With uncertainty surrounding both Arsenal and Liverpool's future ability to make regular top four spots Tottenham have an excellent opportunity to build towards becoming CL fixtures themselves; there's no such thing as the impenetrable 'Big Four' in the Premier League these days and Spurs are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that have arisen in the demise of the former mainstays. Even Chelsea and City could see their fortunes fading over the coming decade with the full effect of FFP regulations as yet unknown; Spurs could well turn out to be Manchester United's closest title competitors in five to ten years time.

 

[africanspur]

Not sure that really compares to producing 1 less goal+assist than Leo Messi in the champions league group stage and statistically being the 3rd best player in the whole competition. All the top clubs will be keeping tabs on Willian right now, doesnt mean they'll try to buy him but chances are they wont let Spurs take him for a reasonable fee. And also it doesnt mean he's an amazing player, its just that right now his profile will be through the roof, way more-so than any of these players Spurs have signed except maybe Modric and Spurs didnt have to compete against moneybags Chelsea for him. They had to compete against Arsenal with Wenger saying hes too small

Crouch had 7 goals and assists in 8 and a bit games in our CL season. Just saying....

 

[Ekeke]

Doesn't really matter how you try to twist it. One was and still is the French captain. One was coming from Real Madrid, having played for Hamburg and Ajax in the past and has already accumulated over 100 caps for the Dutch National team. One is a 24 year old Brazilian who still plays in the Ukrainian league and who has 2 caps (though with the way you're talking about him, I'm still not 100% sure we have the right player. Its not Ronaldo or Messi right?) I see two different calibres there but the other way round from the way you're seeing it.

Lloris wasn't immediately first choice because he was signed on deadline day and AVB made clear from the beginning that a) LLoris still needed to get settled and b) AVB wanted players to earn their spots and not enter just on reputation. Needless to say, he has now started 11 games so he has been first choice for a while now.

Very very simple question again. In your avid watching of the Ukrainian league, champions league and Willian's 2 national team appearances, how many times have you seen this different calibre player play?

The french captain? Yeah because those have always been a good example of form. Hello Patrice

Seen Willian in all the group games of the champions league, which is a lot more recent than Lloris eyecatching performances for Lyon as a youngster or VDV's exciting performances for Ajax as a left sided player.

You're the one twisting things. VDV was offloaded as he wasnt going to be included in real madrid's squad list. He wouldnt have got any football that season. And you were the one club to take him

Lloris no longer had interest from the top clubs so he had to be informed who Spurs were

 

[Nighteyes]

Not sure that really compares to producing 1 less goal+assist than Leo Messi in the champions league group stage and statistically being the 3rd best player in the whole competition. All the top clubs will be keeping tabs on Willian right now, doesnt mean they'll try to buy him but chances are they wont let Spurs take him for a reasonable fee. And also it doesnt mean he's an amazing player, its just that right now his profile will be through the roof, way more-so than any of these players Spurs have signed except maybe Modric and Spurs didnt have to compete against moneybags Chelsea for him. They had to compete against Arsenal with Wenger saying hes too small

You asked Who are players that were on a similar level to Willian that Spurs signed and there have been lots of examples provided on here. The circumstances differ but it's quite clear that Spurs have been able to sign lot of quality players and that Willian is not beyond them.