Tottenham Hotspur's potential move for Hugo Lloris has hit a snag after French club Lyon claimed Spurs had lowered their transfer offer, with Andre Villas-Boas admitting moves for Willian and Joao Moutinho are also looking unlikely.
Lyon had said a few days earlier, a fee had been agreed and it was just a matter of agreeing personal terms between Lloris and the English Premier League club; however now the former champions of France have said the move has stalled due to Spurs' decision to decrease their initial offer.
"Olympique Lyonnais have not reached an agreement with Tottenham for the transfer of Hugo Lloris," a statement on the club's official website said.
"The proposals forwarded this evening by Tottenham are very different from the principle which had been agreed on August 26 and which had allowed to open the discussions between the player and the London club."
Villas-Boas is looking to bring in a younger goalkeeper, with Brad Friedel into his 40s and the two back-up 'keepers -- Carlo Cudicini and Hurelho Gomes -- well into their 30s. The Spurs manager admitted he was in the market for a new goalkeeper. "We are very comfortable with our goalkeepers, (but) we can take into account that there is a future that we have to prepare for," Villas-Boas told reporters.
"In that sense we have studied possibilities in that position as well and throughout the goalkeepers available, Hugo is one of the best."
However, the Portuguese revealed buying compatriot Joao Moutinho from FC Porto would be extremely difficult. Moutinho is believed to be Villas-Boas' first choice to replace Luka Modric, who completed his move to Real Madrid earlier this week. The Porto midfielder, however, has a €40 million (£31.7 million, $50 million) release clause, with his club refusing to budge from that amount. "It's an impossible deal for the club," Villas-Boas said. "You have to bear in mind that this is a player with a €40 million release clause. This volume of money is out of Tottenham's possibility.
"Bearing in mind that this is a key player for club and country, you wouldn't say that you would get him at half the price and half the price is already bigger than Tottenham's record fee."
Spurs have also been linked with a move for Brazilian winger Willian, but Villas-Boas admitted a deal for the Shakhtar Donetsk man also looked unlikely. "We had initial contact with Shakhtar, (who) again (are) a club in a position with wealthy owners, (and are) not easy to deal with," he added.
"We can't say that it's over but we have approached the club and at the moment it's a deal that doesn't seem to be happening."
Spurs fans were boosted by the news of Jermain Defoe signing a new three-year deal at the club, and with it ending any speculation about the striker leaving White Hart Lane. A player who could be on his way out of the club, however, is Rafael Van der Vaart, with Villas-Boas revealing Spurs had already rejected an offer from Hamburg, believed to be around £8 million ($12.6 million).
"We have had interest from Hamburg, but an offer of that dimension is not something the player deserves," Villas-Boas said.
"Tottenham should be respected as a club. (The transfer) doesn't seem to be happening."
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is a master of last-minute deals, so it wouldn't be a complete surprise if one or two of the above mentioned players indeed make their moves to White Hart Lane.
