What next for Tottenham’s midfield misfit?

It looks increasingly likely that Lewis Holtby's cameo in the 5-1 home defeat to Man City will be his last game for Tottenham, after the Germany international’s agent claimed he is seeking a move away from White Hart Lane.

“My feeling is that he will leave but it’s not in our hands at the moment,” said Marcus Noack.

It has been almost 12 months since Holtby joined Spurs from Bundesliga giants Schalke, and with the 23-year-old hardly short of suitors, talkSPORT looks at where he could end up at the close of the January transfer window.

Fulham
Initially seen as an unlikely destination, Fulham have quickly emerged as the favourites to land Holtby before the transfer deadline. The Cottagers are laying down some serious money as they try to secure their Premier League status and are thought to be keen on adding Holtby to that - with a loan deal looking the likeliest outcome. Having only played in the Premier League for one year, the midfielder is believed to be keen on persevering in his attempt to crack the English top flight, and views the opportunity of regular football at Craven Cottage as a huge positive. A stumbling block, however, looks to be Holtby’s wages, with the Spurs man thought to be earning around £75,000-a-week, a princely sum the north Londoners would want to be covered entirely. According to reports, any potential deal would hinge on Dimitar Berbatov’s Fulham future, with the Bulgarian’s own hefty salary placing a strain on the club’s wage budget.

Chances of happening: 7/10 - Looks to be the likeliest outcome, but is dependable on a handful of variables.

Schalke
One potential option for Holtby is a return to the Bundesliga with former side Schalke. The Konigsblauen are believed to be interested in bringing their prodigal son home, but his arrival would rely heavily on the future of midfield star Julian Draxler. Holtby previously spent three-and-a-half years at Schalke, leaving the club last year for a cut-price £1.5m, but given their lack of midfield depth are thought to be keen on offering him a way out. Reports in Germany have claimed a deal is possible, but difficult, suggesting that a loan move may be the best outcome for the time being. If Holtby harbours any desire to be included in Germany’s World Cup squad, then a return to the Bundesliga could be a huge benefit, with national boss Joachim Low keeping a closer eye on domestic players.

Chances of happening: 5/10 - Could well happen, but as has been highlighted, it would be difficult. Spurs would also be wary that by allowing Holtby to return to Schalke, it could pave the way for Julian Draxler to potentially join Arsenal.

Borussia Dortmund
Perhaps the biggest surprise would be to see Holtby end up at Borussia Dortmund. Boss Jurgen Klopp is reportedly a fan of the 23-year-old and given Dortmund’s current injury crisis, have very few options in midfield. The arrival of Holtby would certainly remedy that and could also help them reign in second-place Bayer Leverkusen. According to reports in Germany, club chiefs enquired about a potential transfer, but were put off by Tottenham’s valuation of Holtby, with Spurs thought to want £10m for the player. While aesthetically, he would be the perfect signing for Dortmund, it remains to be seen whether he would welcome a move to Schalke’s fierce rivals.

Chances of happening: 2/10 - Seems highly unlikely, unless either Tottenham or Dortmund budge on their valuations of the player.

Stay put
Despite activity levels in the January transfer window picking up significantly as the deadline draws nearer, at the moment it looks like Lewis Holtby will remain at White Hart Lane. While he has found first team opportunities extremely limited this season, that may not be the worst thing in the world. Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood has praised the German for his work ethic and attitude and could well have a change of heart in selection policy as the second half of the season unfolds. Holtby would naturally be commended for deciding to stay and fight for his place, but in doing so it increasingly looks like he’s waging an uphill battle, having only played a full 90 minutes just once. With this being a World Cup year, he will need regular, first team football if he is to gate-crash Joachim Low’s squad plans.

Chances of happening: 4/10 - Time is running out for Holtby to secure any form of move away for the remainder of the season, but as the deadline day clock ticks down it looks increasingly ominous for him.

Where do you think Lewis Holtby will end up? Comment below…