Villas-Boas Is in Advanced Talks With Tottenham: Soccer Roundup

The following is a roundup of soccer stories from U.K. newspapers, with clickable Internet links.

Advanced Talks

Andre Villas-Boas is in advanced negotiations to become Tottenham Hotspur manager, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Villas-Boas, who’s always been the first-choice of Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy, can move to another English club after July 1 under the terms of his March departure from Chelsea, the Telegraph said, adding that Levy and Villas-Boas are hopeful of reaching an agreement.

Sigurdsson Swoop

Tottenham is the favorite to sign Icelandic international midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson from German club Hoffenheim, the Daily Express reported.

Sigurdsson had looked set to join former manager Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool following a loan spell at Swansea, though is now expected to move to Spurs for 8 million pounds ($12.5 million), the newspaper added.

Villa Signing

Aston Villa is set to sign Feyenoord midfielder Karim El Ahmadi for 2.5 million pounds following talks with the Morocco international, the Sun reported.

“I was close to signing a new deal with Feyenoord when Villa came along,” the Sun cited El Ahmadi as saying. “I’m at the age when I want a new challenge. The Premier League is the best in the world, and I didn’t need to think long about it.”

Bid Rejected

Manchester United is increasing its efforts to sign Porto’s James Rodriguez after having a 30 million-pound bid rejected, the Daily Mail reported.

United manager Alex Ferguson had Rodriguez watched repeatedly last season and has made the Colombian forward, who can operate on either flank or as a striker, one of his top targets, the Mail added.

Chelsea Changes

Chelsea winger Florent Malouda has begun negotiations with Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, the Sun reported.

Malouda, who has a year left on his Chelsea contract, would be the fourth player to leave the Blues since the end of last season after Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Jose Bosingwa, the Sun added.

Editor: Alex Duff

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net