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Official - Holtby

Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

billyiddo said:
'pre contract agreement' doesn't exactly sound like it's set in stone - it may well be - but the name isn't really conclusive imv

however after reading the quotes from the mirror article that Jimmyb posted id be very surprised if Holtby changed his mind at this moment (that's even if he is allowed to) to join Everton, i know his dad is a big Toffee - which by extension makes him one as well, but he seems very impressed with THFC the manager and the chairman and most importantlty the direction in which we are heading
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Agreed. Regardless that the pre contract agreement could not be broken other than if Everton were to pay a huge sum (would surely have to be bigger than the £16 million Chelsea paid Utd for Mikel, given that Holtby has done more in his career and has experience of a far bigger league), it seems to me that Holtby would still choose to join Spurs.

Players tend not to make choices as fans. They make choices as professionals. How much will a player get paid at one club or another? What sort of a clubs are they respectively? What are their prospects? Which club plays a style that suits him? Which club will best help to progress his career? Etc.

Only if all else is equal will most players choose to join the team that they support.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

Tottenham are confident of completing a move for Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby in the coming days — six months ahead of schedule.

The original agreement was for the Germany international to join at the end of the season when his contract at the Bundesliga club expires, meaning Schalke would receive no fee.

It was announced last month that Holtby had signed a five-year deal at White Hart Lane which would start in the summer. However, the knee injury to Sandro that threatens to end his season early has forced Spurs into a rethink and talks with Holtby are thought to be at an advanced stage.

Sources in Germany believe the deal could even be completed by the weekend, with Spurs paying a comparatively small fee to secure the player immediately. The willingness on both sides to negotiate means the transfer could, in theory, be finalised before the Premier League’s registration deadline of midday tomorrow, which would enable Holtby to make his Tottenham debut against Manchester United on Sunday.

It appears more likely, however, that the 22-year-old’s first appearance for Spurs would be in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Leeds United on January 27. Either way, he will be forced to abandon Schalke’s Champions League campaign.

Although Holtby’s best position is as a central attacking midfielder operating behind a lone forward — the role Clint Dempsey would fulfil in a 4-2-3-1 at Spurs — he has been used as one of the holding pair during his career in Germany, where he has also played for Alemannia Aachen, Bochum and Mainz.

While Holtby is still not considered physically strong enough to be a regular midfield anchor, he does, at least, have some knowledge of the position.

Without Sandro, who faces a significant spell on the sidelines, Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas was keen to improve his midfield immediately and the club started work on the deal to bring in Holtby as soon as they became aware of the severity of the Brazilian’s injury.

Sandro was pictured on his Twitter account yesterday with his right leg almost entirely encased in plaster. He damaged his knee in Saturday’s goalless draw at QPR.

Before Sandro’s setback, Villas-Boas had been willing to let both Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore leave the club but only one is now likely to depart, with QPR still chasing a loan deal for Livermore.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/spurs-in-a-hurry-to-seal-deal-for-lewis-holtby-amid-sandro-fears-8455365.html
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

.
Schalke boss hints Lewis Holtby could be on his way to Tottenham early


By Thomas Zocher. Last Updated: January 17, 2013 11:59am

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has not ruled out selling players this month amid talk Lewis Holtby could make his move to Tottenham during the current transfer window rather than in the summer.

Spurs have agreed a deal to sign the 22-year-old midfielder on a free transfer in the summer when his contract at Schalke expires.

But speculation has emerged the Premier League club could move to bring him to White Hart Lane earlier than expected after midfielder Sandro suffered a knee injury which requires surgery.

Heldt, who recently wrapped up the signing of Dynamo Kiev forward Raffael on loan, has fuelled talk that Germany international Holtby is on his way to North London this month by revealing players could leave.

He told Die Welt newspaper: "This transfer window will not close until the end of the month. We have signed Raffael and it could become a fact that we will sell or buy one or more players this month.

"We will have to wait on a certain progress in some affairs."

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...Holtby-could-be-on-his-way-to-Tottenham-early
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

I'd be very happy with this. Wish we could get him in before United.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

Jordinho said:
Tottenham are confident of completing a move for Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby in the coming days — six months ahead of schedule.

The original agreement was for the Germany international to join at the end of the season when his contract at the Bundesliga club expires, meaning Schalke would receive no fee.

It was announced last month that Holtby had signed a five-year deal at White Hart Lane which would start in the summer. However, the knee injury to Sandro that threatens to end his season early has forced Spurs into a rethink and talks with Holtby are thought to be at an advanced stage.

Sources in Germany believe the deal could even be completed by the weekend, with Spurs paying a comparatively small fee to secure the player immediately. The willingness on both sides to negotiate means the transfer could, in theory, be finalised before the Premier League’s registration deadline of midday tomorrow, which would enable Holtby to make his Tottenham debut against Manchester United on Sunday.

It appears more likely, however, that the 22-year-old’s first appearance for Spurs would be in the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Leeds United on January 27. Either way, he will be forced to abandon Schalke’s Champions League campaign.

Although Holtby’s best position is as a central attacking midfielder operating behind a lone forward — the role Clint Dempsey would fulfil in a 4-2-3-1 at Spurs — he has been used as one of the holding pair during his career in Germany, where he has also played for Alemannia Aachen, Bochum and Mainz.

While Holtby is still not considered physically strong enough to be a regular midfield anchor, he does, at least, have some knowledge of the position.

Without Sandro, who faces a significant spell on the sidelines, Spurs head coach Andre Villas-Boas was keen to improve his midfield immediately and the club started work on the deal to bring in Holtby as soon as they became aware of the severity of the Brazilian’s injury.

Sandro was pictured on his Twitter account yesterday with his right leg almost entirely encased in plaster. He damaged his knee in Saturday’s goalless draw at QPR.

Before Sandro’s setback, Villas-Boas had been willing to let both Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore leave the club but only one is now likely to depart, with QPR still chasing a loan deal for Livermore.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/spurs-in-a-hurry-to-seal-deal-for-lewis-holtby-amid-sandro-fears-8455365.html
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So his best position is as an AM, but he's spent his whole career in Germany as a holding midfielder. So maybe we should play him at RB........
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

AuroRaman said:
So his best position is as an AM, but he's spent his whole career in Germany as a holding midfielder. So maybe we should play him at RB........
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The wording in the article was ambiguous.

He hasn't spent his whole career as a holding midfielder but he has been played in that position on occasion - particularly last season, I understand.

He has mostly been played (and seen to best effect) as an attacking midfielder.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

There's more chance of Dembele playing the more defensive role in the centre than Holtby if they were in a partnership.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

Can't imagine Parker won't be first choice DM, and the rest built around that.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

GGyid said:
Can't imagine Parker won't be first choice DM, and the rest built around that.
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He will be first choice now that Sandro is out for a bit.


Though I don't like the sound of him having to play every game we have left this season because we don't have a backup plan.


Makes sense to bring Holtby in, even if he's not going to be first choice.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

GGyid said:
Can't imagine Parker won't be first choice DM, and the rest built around that.
Click to expand...

True. I think the bigger issue is Dembele's knee and how much longer he can go before needing an op on it.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

It's a squad game. I wanted Holtby in before Sandro's injury, and still want him in now.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

Has Dembele actually still got this injury? I thought the point of not giving him the op and giving him therapy instead, resulting in the 8 week absence, was so he wouldn't have to go through surgery? Hardly seems worth it to not bother with the op if he would just need one later in the season anyway, or whenever he breaks down.

I'm happy to bring Holtby in, I reckon he could be a bit like Tainio. I don't think physical presence will be important, and I think footballing intelligence will. So I think he will be able to adapt, but for a few weeks it should be Parker/Dembele in the centre, with Huddlestone/Livermore and Carroll as options to give Holtby a chance to settle.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

I thought Dembele has a problem that he will have to live with. I'm not sure there is a surgery fix. From the little I have seen on this - its was something he said - its more like a mild version Ledley's knees.
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

They should pay him to come over now, instead of faffing about with all these other targets!
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

I want to contribute more to this thread, but I'm off my fudging face on red wine. I fudging love the lot of you. You utter utter utter ****s xx
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

AuroRaman said:
I want to contribute more to this thread, but I'm off my fudging face on red wine. I fudging love the lot of you. You utter utter utter ****s xx
Click to expand...

You've contributed more in this very sentence than some ITKs have in years
 
Re: *Official* Holtby to join in July thread

holtby is actually a very good tackler and interceptor.. once he is bedded into the squad, i would play him alongside dembele over parker, with dempsey ahead of them.

he has experience as a DM and has a great engine. unless we REALLY required parkers tenacity, then holtby would be ahead of him hands down imo.
 
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