Wednesday, 23rd January, 2013

Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is hoping that the German giants can keep hold of Lewis Holtby during the current transfer window.

Holtby has signed a pre-contractual agreement to join English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season, when his Schalke deal expires.



However, Spurs are trying to bring forward Holtby’s move to the current window by paying Schalke a small fee.

While no agreement is believed to have yet been reached, with the Ruhr giants rejecting Tottenham’s initial offer, it is thought a compromise is on the horizon, with a figure of €1.5M mooted as being enough for Schalke.

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But Huntelaar is hoping that Schalke do not lose Holtby at the moment, especially as only Raffael has arrived, and the Brazilian is covering for the injured Ibrahim Afellay.

Asked about losing Holtby, Huntelaar was quoted as saying by Voetbal Primeur: "For us as players, it is a pity when he leaves.

"When someone leaves and no one is attracted [to the club], it is always bad for the team."

And Huntelaar, who opted to extend his contract with Schalke, unlike Holtby, feels that the current squad at the club is good enough to claim a Champions League spot.

"With this squad, we will be third or fourth. Inside a Champions League spot."

At present Schalke sit fifth in the Bundesliga, two points off fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Ruhr giants are five points behind rivals Borussia Dortmund, who are third.

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