Sunday, 19th January, 2014
Schalke coach Jens Keller admits there have been some discussions with Tottenham Hotspur over midfielder Lewis Holtby, but he is not sure a deal can be done.
Holtby moved to Spurs from Schalke in the January 2013 transfer window, but has seen his playing time at White Hart Lane dip dramatically in the current campaign, leading to talk of an exit.
mobile ad
The 23-year-old has started just six Premier League games for Spurs, far from ideal preparation for the Germany international in a World Cup year.
Schalke are keen to bring back Holtby, with eyes on a loan deal until the end of the season. But even that looks tough to achieve.
relatedNewsStory
"The talks are not yet at an advanced stage", Keller told German daily Bild.
"The transfer does not seem to be realistic in a financial sense."
Holtby takes home over €3m per year at Spurs, meaning that for a loan to Schalke to take place, the midfielder would either have to agree to a pay cut or Spurs would have to cover a portion of his wages.
Spurs would also be looking for a loan fee of at least €1m.
Don't bet on football until you've visited Inside Bet! Interesting markets, top tips, betting facts – get all the info before you bet.
