Tottenham Hotspur have beaten off competition from both Arsenal and Liverpool to land the signing of German star Lewis Holtby. The Schalke 04 midfielder’s contract at the Veltins Arena expires at the end of the current 2012/13 season and he will move to White Hart Lane in July on a free transfer after signing a pre-contract agreement.
Holtby, first capped by Germany against Azerbaijan in 2011, has an English father. He was recommended to Spurs manager Andre-Villas Boas by his assistant, Steffen Freund, who keenly follows the game back in his native Germany. Freund was actively involved in coaching Germany’s young players at various youth levels prior to his move to North London.
Holtby is primarily a central midfielder who can also play on both wings. He started his professional career at Alemannia Aachen and has also had loan spells at Bochum and Mainz
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