Tottenham transfers: AVB tried to sign David Villa for Chelsea
Tottenham transfers: Andre Villas-Boas reveals that he tried to sign David Villa when he was in charge of Chelsea last season
Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that he tried to sign David Villa when he was in charge of Chelsea amid reports linking Tottenham with a swoop for the Barcelona forward.
Villa has long been linked with a move away from Camp Nou and was reported to be close to a transfer to Arsenal during the January window.
But Tottenham have now emerged as the front-runners to secure the signature of the 31-year-old Spain international, who has scored 15 goals in 37 games for Barça this season.
And Spurs boss Villas-Boas, who was sacked by Chelsea in March 2012 before taking over at White Hart Lane last summer, admits he is a keen admirer of the former Valencia forward.
“I think he’s a world-renowned striker,” said Villas-Boas. “His tally of goals in Valencia was impressive.
“When he got to Barcelona, he played off the channels, because [Lionel] Messi started going through the middle, but still with a good record of goals in his first season – until he broke his leg.
“He was a player that I always had a good relationship with, from the times in Chelsea, because I tried to move him away – to move him to Chelsea.”
Villa has scored nine goals in 14 La Liga starts this season, with the Spain international struggling to hold down a first-team place at Camp Nou.
