Saturday, 15th September, 2012
Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas believes it is unlikely the club will return for FC Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho in the January transfer window.
Following the sale of Luka Modric to Real Madrid, Spurs launched a concerted push to bring Moutinho to White Hart Lane, battling against the clock on transfer deadline day.
No deal could be done in time though, ensuring the 26-year-old midfielder remained at the Portuguese champions.
Moutinho has since stated that "it is not worth talking about it any more", when questioned about the collapsed move to Spurs and possible new transfer and now Villas-Boas has suggested reviving the deal in January would be difficult.
"We were prepared for missing out on that player. We set our sights on that player in the end of the transfer window – we couldn’t conclude the deal but we were ready if that failed", the Portuguese boss told London 24.
"It is not likely that we will go back [for him] in January.
"Generally the market is very difficult and expensive and it is highly unlikely that we will continue to pursue that transfer, because by then we will have [Scott] Parker coming back.
"He is a player that we want to come back as soon as possible."
Spurs did capture Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey in the summer window, easing the pain of missing out on Moutinho.
The Porto midfielder is a man Villas-Boas has targeted before, when in charge of Chelsea. The Portuguese tactician coached Moutinho during his stint in the Porto dugout.
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