Dimitar Berbatov could 'rot in reserves'
Tottenham have told Dimitar Berbatov that they are prepared to let him rot in their reserves unless Manchester United, or any other club, meet their £30 million valuation
Berbatov controversially missed Saturday's defeat against Sunderland, with manager Juande Ramos declaring that the Bulgarian's "head is not right" amid interest from Manchester United.
Ramos is desperate for a swift end to the problem, but Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy remains adamant that is down to United to come up with an acceptable offer.
If not, Tottenham sources have insisted that the club will keep Berbatov and even prevent him from training or playing with the first team. Tottenham are also considering whether to fine the 27-year-old.
So far, United have had one bid of £20.5 million turned down and are now poised to increase their offer.
Tottenham, though, have rejected suggestions that they would accept a deal in the region of £25 million simply to bring an end to the saga. Since January, they have made it clear that any deal for Berbatov would depend on a bid that at least matched the British record transfer fee of £30 million that Chelsea paid for Andrei Shevchenko.
Tottenham have also complained to the Premier League, alleging that United had illegally pursued Berbatov over the past year, and the bad feeling between the clubs has clearly not helped negotiations.
However, it is understood that the potential sale of Berbatov will depend only on Tottenham receiving the right money for a player who cost just £10.9 million in 2006. It is a risky tactic given that Ramos clearly needs a speedy conclusion to the problem.
Tottenham have lost their opening two Premier League matches and Ramos has admitted that the uncertainty surrounding Berbatov had contributed to the club's wretched start to the season.
"We need to get this matter resolved before the transfer deadline," said Ramos. "If Berbatov goes, we will need time to sign a replacement. We want to have the best centre-forward we can possibly get."
Spurs are considering making a bid for the Colombian striker Falcao, who plays for River Plate in Argentina, while the Russians Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andrei Arshavin remain options. They have already sold Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane this year and urgently need reinforcements in attack to stand a serious chance of pushing towards their stated aim of a top-four finish.
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