Andre Villas-Boas wants title and says Luka Modric is likely to go

 

New Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is aiming to bring the title to Spurs, but admits Luka Modric would be sold "for the right price".

He also revealed he was interested in signing Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho.

Andre Villas-Boas factfile

  • Born: 17 October 1977 in Porto, Portgual
  • Managerial career: Academica, Porto, Chelsea
  • Chelsea highs: Champions League group wins over over Bayer Leverkusen (2-0), Genk (5-0) and Valencia (3-0)
  • Chelsea lows: Won one of his last six Premier League games in charge as Chelsea dropped out of the race for the Premier League title, and was sacked after 256 days in charge

And the former Chelsea boss, who was sacked after nine months in charge at Stamford Bridge, said he helped lay the foundations for their Champions League win in May.

"We have to try to put Tottenham on the road for titles," he said.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy rejected several offers from Chelsea for Modric last summer and insisted the Croatian would not leave White Hart Lane.

But Villas-Boas says that the midfielder, 26, who joined Spurs from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 for a reported £16m, is the subject of renewed interest from other clubs and negotiations are ongoing.

He said: "The interest that we have from various different clubs shows the importance of the player and what he's done for Tottenham.

"It's fair to say that the club respects Luka's ambitions and his willingness to move on and he respects the fact that he's an important player for the club and can help us move forward.

"Ongoing discussions will continue with these clubs until we reach an agreement which is acceptable for each party."

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“I think it's excellent for Chelsea to have won a trophy they have desired for so many years.”

Andre Villas-Boas

Previous manager Harry Redknapp departed after guiding Spurs to fourth, fifth and fourth in the space of three seasons.

But Villas-Boas thinks Tottenham can challenge for their first title since 1961.

He added: "Last year the squad started extremely well. The belief was there and the margin was there for Tottenham to win the title.

"If we are able to take the squad to the levels of ambition we want, it [the title] is something we can think of.

"We just have to continue with the quality work that Harry left us."

Villas-Boas, 34, signed a three-year contract earlier this month to succeed Redknapp, who was sacked in June.

Despite winning the Portuguese domestic double and the Europa League at Porto in 2010-11, Villas-Boas was sacked by Chelsea less than 12 months into a three-year contract in March.

Chelsea won the Champions League and FA Cup following Villas-Boas's departure.

Matching up to Redknapp

Chelsea won 47.5% and lost 25% of their matches under Villas-Boas, while Spurs enjoyed a 53% win ratio under Redknapp last season, losing 23% of their games.

But the Portuguese insists he played a significant role in helping the Blues on the way to their success.

He said: "I think it's excellent for Chelsea to have won a trophy they have desired for so many years.

"I'm just grateful that I was able to work there and in some way put it on the road to that."

Villas-Boas appeared to play down speculation that he wants a new goalkeeper to replace Brad Friedel, 41, but confirmed his interest in signing Emmanuel Adebayor and admitted that Moutinho is also a target.

He added: "He was one of the most important players in Euro 2012, he had a fantastic tournament and he's an important player for Porto. It doesn't mean he is the only target but he's someone we look on with interest.

"Adebayor is another player who was important for last season and it will be a lie if I say we are not looking for a striker. Ade is part of that list."

Villas-Boas has appointed former Spurs midfielder Steffen Freund as his assistant manager.