Spurs Closer To Landing Gilberto

Brazilian full-back Gilberto faces an anxious wait in his bid to leave Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin during the January transfer window.

It was previously reported that Tottenham Hotspur have held preliminary talks regarding a transfer window swoop for the 31-year-old.

Gilberto is out of contract at the end of the season, with Hertha unable or unwilling to meet his demands for a bumper £7.5million contract renewal.

With just eight days left to force a move to the Premiership, Gilberto revealed much could depend on the views of the Hertha bigwigs.

"It is all in the hands of Dieter Hoeness (Berlin's general manager)," the player told Bild.

"If he says I may go, I am away."

Spurs will be buoyed by Hoeness’ retort, which indicates that the German club won’t be looking to accommodate Gilberto. Spurs gaffer Juande Ramos was left frustrated by his inability to land Rangers’ Scottish fullback Alan Hutton earlier this month.

Hoeness said: "Our entire recruitment budget for the winter break would be taken up meeting Gilberto's demands."

Spurs' offer is said to be in excess of €1.6million (£1.2million).

Fabiano: English Move Too Good To Miss

The Brazilian striker has been good form this season and that has attracted attention from England and he is determined not to miss out on a move.

Manchester City have been strongly linked, but Liverpool and Everton are also said to be interested, but Fabiano is not giving the game away.

It would be a great opportunity for me," he is reported to have told Brazilian media.

“It is very difficult for me to remain in Sevilla. The negotiations for me to go to England are very advanced. It is my great opportunity.

“I am very happy at Sevilla and in Seville, who are a club and a city which I like very much.

"But it is my great opportunity and I will do what I think is most appropriate for me.”

Fabiano's situation is not a normal one as Sevilla only own 35 per cent of his contract as the rest if held by his advisers and an investment group.

But that appears to have not held back talks with the Premier League club and an offer of around €14m is expected to tempt them to sell.

"This is a very good offer and the investment group decided to negotiate," Fabiano, who earned a recall to the Brazil squad earlier this season, added.

Villa And City Look To Madrid's Baptista

English tabloid The News of the World reports that Real Madrid's renaissance man Julio Baptista could be on his way back to the Premiership.

The powerful Brazilian spent last season on loan at Arsenal, but was unable to secure a move away from the Bernabeu during the summer transfer window.

Since then, though, he has been a revelation in La Liga, earning an extended run in the blancos' first XI and even scoring the winner in the Clasico match against Barcelona.

Nonetheless, the News of the World contends that both big-spending City and resurgent Villa are quietly confident of being able to coax the 26-year-old back to England.

Real Madrid coax Bernd Schuster, though, seems to have placed his trust in the Brazilian international, while Baptista himself said as recently as last week that he has yet to show his best in the white jersey, and that he feels appreciated in Madrid.