Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is wiling to cough up a fee for Schalke winger Lewis Holtby.

The Guardian says Villas-Boas has attempted to bring forward the signing of Holtby from Schalke to this month's transfer window after losing the key midfielder Sandro to a long-term knee injury.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager has agreed a deal for Holtby, the highly rated attacking midfielder, to move to White Hart Lane at the end of the season as a free agent; Holtby has signed a pre-contract to that effect.