Lewis Holtby's Spurs move imminent

Germany midfielder Lewis Holtby is set to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur before January's transfer window closes on Thursday, according to reports here.

With his Schalke contract to expire in June, the 22-year-old is already committed to joining Spurs for next season having signed until 2018, but the north London club want to bring him to England immediately.

Schalke's general manager Horst Heldt was reported to have been in London over the weekend finalising details and according to German daily Bild, Holtby will join Spurs in the next few days in a deal worth 1.75 million euros (US$2.35m).

Holtby's replacement, 29-year-old Brazil midfielder Bastos, will undergo a medical check in Gelsenkirchen on Monday and is set to join on loan from French first division side Lyon with an option to buy, according to Bild.

Schalke face Turkey's Galatasaray in the Champions League's last 16 on February 20 in Istanbul and are currently sixth in the Bundesliga.