But Villas-Boas has repeated his stance that the 24-year-old will not leave Tottenham this summer.
"On Gareth I want to repeat what I was telling you last season and what I was telling you from the beginning of pre-season so I cannot extend myself," he said.
"He´s a player that we are willing to continue to have, he´s a Tottenham player, he´s one of the most fantastic players in the world at the moment and we are counting on him for the future.
"Unfortunately against Sunderland he won´t be fit to play, he´s recovering from a knock he had in training so we expect him hopefully to have some involvement in the second game."
"On Gareth I want to repeat what I was telling you last season and what I was telling you from the beginning of pre-season so I cannot extend myself," he said.
"He´s a player that we are willing to continue to have, he´s a Tottenham player, he´s one of the most fantastic players in the world at the moment and we are counting on him for the future.
"Unfortunately against Sunderland he won´t be fit to play, he´s recovering from a knock he had in training so we expect him hopefully to have some involvement in the second game."