• Premier League

Villas-Boas reserves high praise for £10m target Villa

ESPN staff
May 17, 2013
David Villa has been linked with Tottenham in recent days © PA Photos
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Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has described Barcelona's David Villa, recently linked with a £10 million summer move to White Hart Lane, as "one of the world's best strikers".

But Villas-Boas stressed that all transfer talk was "speculation" at this stage and said he wanted Tottenham's focus to be on their home game against Sunderland as they try to secure fourth place.

"What comes out of speculation at this time at Tottenham is very surreal, because you know the club is very active in the last weeks of the transfer window," he said.

"So you can see that speculation is growing - but at the moment we are focused on trying to get fourth spot."

He dismissed talk that he could make a summer move for RNK Split striker Ante Rebic, saying: "I have no idea who this player is, I'm sorry.

"I don't know where this news has come from. This is not out of disrespect to the player, but he's not someone I'm looking at."

And although he praised young Southampton full-back Luke Shaw, he said that did not necessarily mean Spurs would move for him in the summer.

"Any player who makes a breakthrough at the age that he has is absolutely unbelievable," he said.

"He's a wonderful footballer, for sure, but it doesn't mean there is direct interest from Tottenham in the player. Transfer targets will be discussed in the summer, and for now it is all speculation."

Tottenham need to beat Sunderland and hope that Arsenal slip up at Newcastle if they are to secure fourth place.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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