ENGLISH Leagues news 12BET update 1/08

Manuel Preciado admits Tottenham's Giovani dos Santos is too expensive for Sporting Gijon



The veteran trainer has long been linked with a move for the Mexican forward, but believes Spurs' reported asking price of around €10 million is out of his club's budget range.

Tottenham forward Giovani dos Santos will not be joining Sporting Gijon this winter, according to the Asturians' coach Manuel Preciado.

Preciado is looking for recruits as his side seek to extend its spell in Spain's top flight to a fifth straight season, and the northern outfit have recently been linked with Dos Santos.

The Mexico international came to prominence in La Liga with Barcelona in 2007-08 and returned to Spain on loan with Racing Santander last term due to a lack of playing time at White Hart Lane.

The 22-year-old scored one and set up another as Tottenham beat Cheltenham 3-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday, but that was only his 27th appearance - and second goal - in over three years at the north London side.

Although a popular player among Spurs supporters, Dos Santos has never enjoyed a run of games under boss Harry Redknapp, and after a move to Sevilla failed to materialize in the summer, Sporting's interest emerged.

However, the tight purse strings at El Molinon look set to end all talk of such a switch for the Monterrey-born forward.

"It's all very simple," Preciado told reporters at a press conference, before adding with heavy irony: "He must be worth around 10 million euros, so it's very viable for us, it's very easy - I think he'll be here the day after tomorrow."

Preciado was also coy on a possible interest in Getafe's Adrian Colunga.

"If I said I was interested in Adrian Colunga then somebody else would probably sign him," he added. "I know nothing about it."

Gio, meanwhile, expressed his desire to leave White Hart Lane late last year, although it remains to be seen whether any of the Mexican's potential suitors are willing to meet Tottenham's valuation of the player this winter. - http://www.goal.com/