Tottenham Hotspur F.C. manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed the club’s interest in Valencia CF striker Roberto Soldado, Sky Sports understands.
Villas-Boas is looking to bolster his attacking options ahead of next season, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe the only experienced strikers in Spurs’ first-team squad at the moment.
Soldado, who has a €30 million release clause in his current contract, is at the top of Villas-Boas’ summer wishlist, and rightfully so.
The Portuguese is also interested in highly-rated Brazil international striker Leandro Damião, but the 24-year-old ace appears to be on the verge of joining Russian Premier League giants Zenit St Petersburg in a deal worth £21.5 million.
Soldado, 28, has proven to be a goal-scoring machine since leaving Real Madrid for Getafe CF for just €4 million in the summer of 2008.
The former Real Madrid youth star bagged 30 goals and five assists in 46 appearances in all competitions for the Valencianistas last season.
“At the moment, he’s just one of the players we are interested in,” said Villas-Boas.
“It’s not a lie to anybody that we’ve been looking for a striker to strengthen our squad and to have more strength in depth.
“Roberto is one of the players we have been following and his career speaks for itself. He’s a great striker.
“But there isn’t a deal being struck at the moment, it’s just interest and conversations.”
The Spain international’s strengths are finishing and hold-up play, while his only apparent weakness is winning aerial duels, per WhoScored.com.
Blues to loan Chalobah
Chelsea F.C. boss Jose Mourinho has revealed England Under-21 international Nathaniel Chalobah will be one of several starlets to be sent out on loan this season, according to Sky Sports.
Chalobah, 18, has yet to make a first-team appearances for the Blues, but impressed while on loan at Watford last term.
The England youth international tallied five goals in 42 league appearances for the Golden Boys, who just missed out on promotion after a narrow 1-0 defeat, in extra time, to Crystal Palace in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on 27 May.
“We are thinking of letting him go on loan for a last season,” said Mourinho. “That is our intention. He knows. We have discussed that with him.
“He is a very, very good player. I like him very much – very, very much. I am very impressed. For sure, a Chelsea player (in future), for sure. We think he is there.
“He could be in our squad already. But we think one more season and it will be his last one out on loan.
“We will see whether or not it is a Premier League club.”
In addition, the Blues will also send out Josh McEachran and Lucas Piazon on loan this season, confirmed Mourinho.
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