Tottenham are ready to offer the job to former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. The Guardian says Spurs have held direct negotiations with Villas-Boas and they are poised to offer him the manager's job.

Tottenham officials met Villas?Boas's agent in London last Friday and Saturday to explain what they were looking for in the successor to Harry Redknapp, who they sacked last Wednesday. But they have since accelerated the process by speaking directly to Villas-Boas.

The 34-year-old Portuguese, who was dismissed by Chelsea in March, was initially unsure whether he was the Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's first choice for the vacancy.