Sevilla were the first club to register an interest in the promising 20-year-old when they lodged a 2.7m pounds bid last week, however, Tottenham weighed in with a reported 5.4m pound offer to put the approach of the Uefa Cup champions in the shade.

Sevilla have since upped their offer, but Hertha's general manager, Dieter Hoeness, favours the deal put together by the London club.

"The offer from Sevilla never interested us," Hoeness said yesterday. "It was not enough. We have accepted the offer from England and now they must reach an agreement."

Boateng said he was preparing himself for a move to Spain, but concedes that Sevilla's signing of the Lens midfielder Seydou Keita, coupled with Tottenham's interest, has prompted a rethink. "The Premier League is actually my dream league and now I am thinking about Tottenham," he said.

Boateng has made 43 appearances in two years at Hertha, scoring four goals, and earned his first cap for Germany's Under-21s against England last October.

Fulham have completed the transfer of Chris Baird in a 3m pound deal from Southampton, beating Sunderland to the signature of the Northern Ireland defender. A fee had been agreed with manager Roy Keane but Baird chose to link up with Lawrie Sanchez, who coached him at international level. He has signed a four-year deal.

The 25-year-old becomes Sanchez's fourth signing since he took over towards the end of the last campaign following the arrivals of Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and Diomansy Kamara.

Baird, Hughes and Davis all played in the famous Northern Ireland win over England in 2005 and David Healy, who scored the winner in Belfast, has also been linked with Fulham.

"His qualities and versatility will be a major asset for the club next season," said Sanchez of Baird.

Burnley have dismissed reports they are in takeover negotiations. It was claimed a consortium headed by former England midfielder Peter Reid was set to bid but the club said they were not "seeking any interest from outside parties".