Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov has dismissed reports claiming he wants to leave Tottenham.
The 26-year-old’s future has been the subject of speculation and new Spurs boss Juande Ramos said yesterday he would not prevent anyone leaving if they were unhappy at the club.
But Berbatov told the club’s website: “The fans have been behind me ever since my first game. I want to tell them that I am not going anywhere.
“I don’t want to see my name in the newspapers anymore – I just want to play football and enjoy myself.”
Berbatov was linked with a move to Manchester United over the summer and those rumours recently resurfaced as the striker struggled to rediscover the impressive form he achieved last season.
“I want to let everyone know that I am a Tottenham Hotspur player, I love the club and everyone at the club,” he said.
“I don’t always smile so much but that does not make me a bad person.
“I don’t smile because we are near the bottom of the table and have not been playing well – I have not been playing well either.”
Berbatov went on to criticise the press for involving his family after a report quoted his father saying that the player wanted to Tottenham.
“There has been a lot of stuff written about me leaving. I haven’t said anything until now but they are now involving my family and I cannot allow that,” he added.
“The worst thing is when someone starts writing lies and when people see that they start to believe it. That really is the worst thing.
“I have a contract and I will give my best, for now it is not going so well for me because all the writing in the papers has been messing with my head and I lost my concentration.
“I just want to play football and enjoy myself. When I see things in the paper, with somebody telling lies about my father, how can I be calm?
“I am disappointed and I don’t understand how somebody can write something like that – it is a lie.”
Ramos left Berbatov on the bench for his first league game in charge and the Spaniard prompting speculation that he was unhappy with the player’s attitude.
“I believe you can’t force players to stay in the team if they don’t want to,” he said.
“It is not good for the team or the player, so I wouldn’t stand in anyone’s way if they want to leave.
“I think he is happy but that is a question you need to ask him. He is a Spurs player and he needs to help and support the team.”
