• Premier League

Villas-Boas: Very difficult to lure Bale from Spurs

Andre Villas-Boas expects Gareth Bale to remain at Tottenham Hotspur next season despite the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Bale's stunning late strike secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland on the Premier League's final day, but with Arsenal beating Newcastle by the same scoreline, Spurs once again missed out on a place in Europe's premier club competition.

The Wales international has made no secret of his desire to take part in the Champions League again, and has indicated a willingness to move abroad to fulfil that ambition, but Villas-Boas remains confident of retaining the player.

Asked if the 23-year-old would stay at the club, he said: "Yes, that's the information we have. It is very, very difficult to lure a player of this dimension away. You have to hold onto your best assets."

Spurs will have to settle for a place in the Europa League, but Villas-Boas, who won that trophy during his time with Porto, maintains it is "a wonderful competition" and believes players will still want to move to White Hart Lane.

"Tottenham is a wonderful club who will continue to attract big players and will continue to push on," he told the BBC. "It was a very good season. We pushed all the way for fourth and third spot and I think we can make it better next season."

He added: "I think this season is a good reference for us in the future. To achieve 72 points and not make it shows that to compete at this level we will probably have to make more than that as other clubs have great, great squads.

"We will have to do it the Tottenham way. We have to scout properly and make good grabs in the transfer market this summer."

The Portuguese has spoken of his desire to bring in a sporting director, but chairman Daniel Levy made no reference to the matter in his end-of-season statement.

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