LONDON: Tottenham's manager-in-waiting Andre Villas-Boas (pic) has been handed a major boost with the news that Gareth Bale has signed a new £75,000-a-week, four-year contract with the north London club, The Daily Mirror reported.

Villas-Boas is all set to be named as Harry Redknapp's successor within days, and will find that despite being a target for Barelona Inter Milan and eal Madrid, Welsh star Bale has committed himself to Spurs until 2015.

 "Sours are progressing and I want to be a part of that. I want to get back into the Champions League," said Bale.

Bale put pen to paper as Villas-Boas made it clear to Spurs that he wants to fill the sacked Redknapp's shoes.

He is negotiating a three-year contract to take charge.

Villas-Boas has already asked for assistants Jose Mario Rocha and Daniel Sousato, who worked under him at Chelsea last season, to join him at the club.

The Portuguese will be given a big transfer kitty to rebuild this summer.

It is understood that Sunday is the earliest Villas-Boas can take over, because Chelsea insisted on including a clause in his severance package stating that he could not take another job in England until then - although he could return to management elsewhere before that deadline.

While Villas-Boas will be delighted to be keeping Bale, he is resigned to losing star Luka Modric - even though Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is again prepared to put up a major fight over the Croatia midfielder.

Modric was quoted by Spanish paper Marca as saying he is keen to go to Real:

"Here (at Spurs) I am no longer able to fulfill my dream. I'm going to play in the Champions League – I want to win this competition," he said.

Levy will demand upwards of £40m for Modric and has enquired about Real midfielder Lassana Diarra as part of a player-plus-cash deal.

Spurs have been after Diarra for more than two years but Real do not want to let him go.

They are preparing to offer £30m for Modric, plus Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin.


- mD