Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed interest in striker Roberto Soldado.
"At the moment, he's just one of the players we are interested in. 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," said Villas-Boas from Hong Kong. "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 buyout clause reportedly costs 30 million Euros, but the Spurs are reportedly only offering 26 million euros for the forward.
"I think Roberto is going to stay with us, although you can't rule anything out. I don't think anyone will pay the buy-out clause," said Valencia coach Miroslav Djukic. "From the start we've said that Soldado isn't for sale and that the only way he could go is that someone comes in, pays the clause and the player accepts to go."
"There has been contact during which Valencia have communicated [to Spurs] that we want the €30m," said Valencia president Amadeo Salvo. "Tottenham's mission is to get the player at the best possible price and Valencia's [mission] is to get those €30m.
"There's not much margin [for negotiation] now. For the deal to be closed, two things have to happen: for the lad to want to go and for the price that Valencia demand to be met," he added. Then the board would study it."
Soldado is coming off a 24 goal season for Valencia. Since joining the club three years ago, the 28 year old has scored at least 17 goals per season.