Defoe

Jermain Defoe told he can leave Tottenham


By Steve Wilson



Tottenham's Jermain Defoe has been told by manager Juande Ramos that he is free to leave the club - but the striker will instead stay and fight for his place.
<LI>Defoe currently has 18 months remaining on his contract and, having scored five goals in his last seven games had believed that he was starting to win round the new manager.
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	Open door: Defoe has started just two league matches this season

However, Ramos has told the striker that he would not stand in his way should he want to find regular first-team football elsewhere, with Aston Villa likely to table a bid during the transfer window.

"The manager said I can leave if I want," said Defoe, "but I want to prove him wrong. I want to stay here.

"He called me in to his office and told me. At first, I thought it was a joke. I thought he was going to say I would be starting against Arsenal in the Carling Cup, which was why he didn't give me a game against Reading at the weekend.

"But he just said 'You can leave if you want to'. Yet I have no intentions of leaving this club because I love it here - and I know people at the top of the club want me to stay."

Those people include Spurs chairman Daniel Levy who is a huge admirer of a player who is also popular with the fans.

However, with Ramos seemingly unwilling to break up his preferred partnership of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov, Defoe's opportunities continue to be limited.

It is a familiar situation for Defoe. Previous manager Martin Jol also used him sparingly, and whilst he insists he wants to fight for a first-team place Defoe also let it be known that should the situation continue much longer he may reluctantly look elsewhere.

"I would love to sign a new contract," he said. "But no one can expect me to sign a new deal if I can't get a game.

"All I want to do is play football. It would be great to play against Arsenal as it is such a big game."</LI>

bit of a suprise that - seems to be finding the net a fair bit since Ramos took over as well.

This window should be the deadline for Defoe really, sign or sell.