Villas-Boas wants to keep Van der Vaart

15 July 2012 01:32

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says Rafael van der Vaart is a key part of his plans for the coming English Premier League season.

Questions had been raised over whether the playmaker would fit into the new manager's system, with the Portuguese having made midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson his first signing after taking charge.

Netherlands international Van der Vaart has been strongly linked with a move to former club Hamburg.

But with Luka Modric seemingly edging closer to the exit, Villas-Boas has said he wants to keep Van der Vaart at White Hart Lane.

"With Van der Vaart, at the moment I am absolutely counting on him," Villas-Boas told The Sunday Telegraph.

"It's a totally different situation from Luka, who has been chased by different clubs in the past two seasons and is continuing to draw interest.

"We have to make sure the club's interests are met, and it's up to the chairman to decide that."

Tottenham finished fourth twice during former manager Harry Redknapp's reign and the Englishman has insisted the club should go on to challenge for the title under his successor.

Villas-Boas has said he is using the 65-year-old's words as motivation for his players, even chairman Daniel Levy has not made such demands.

"Harry said last year that Tottenham could go on to win the title, and we have to take that on if we want to go forward as a club," Villas-Boas said.

"That is basically the challenge I have put to the players, although it is not a challenge the chairman has put on to me.

"But the chairman wants continual success and that can only happen when you put trophies in your cabinet and hopefully we can do that.

"The club must be in the top four, and for us to bridge the gap to the title is a tremendous step, but it is one that the club is willing to make based on what Harry built from last year.

"Treating other competitions in another way is another thing I want to do and have told the players that."