It was just several days ago that Andre Villas-Boas seemed to dismiss reports linking Spurs with a move for Willian. However, according to the striker’s current club, Shakhtar Donetsk, Spurs have actually tabled an offer although it is significantly below their asking price.

Following the capture of Emmanuel Adebayor last week, AVB seemed to indicate that Tottenham had no interest in signing any other strikers this transfer window. In fact, he went as far as saying that Willian was not even a target for Spurs, claiming that he had only registered an interest during his time as Chelsea’s manager.

If vibes from Shakhtar are to be believed, those comments from Villas-Boas appear to be completely false. When asked about the future of their star striker, the CEO of the Ukranian outfit, Sergei Anatolyevich, said, “We’ve been holding negotiations with Tottenham for a long time. As of now, we have only one official proposal from Tottenham – an offer worth €12 million to be paid in annual instalments. Our position is €30m. At the moment, no one has mentioned this sum via the phone or official correspondence. Therefore, our position remains the same as before, and it is difficult to add something.”

Therefore, it certainly looks unlikely for Spurs to sign the 24-year-old, considering the hugely contrasting valuations that both clubs have of the player. Such news would be a shame for supporters, with the Brazilian establishing himself as one of the most feared strikers in Europe. Moreover, with the player also telling the press over recent days that he would be more than open to a switch to White Hart Lane, it would be an even tougher pill to swallow for the Spurs faithful.

Still, with just under a week remaining of the transfer window, there is still time for Villas-Boas to pull a rabbit out of the hat and boost the club following a poor start.