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Ramos: Spurs ready for Berbatov exit

09/05/2008

Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos says the club are already bracing themselves for the potential departure of striker Dimitar Berbatov.

The 28-year-old frontman has been linked with a number of high-profile sides - such as AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona - in his two seasons in the Premier League and Ramos has admitted the loss of his star man is a possibility.

"I've spoken to him many times and know exactly what he wants," the former Sevilla boss said.

"We have to cover our backs in case the player decides to leave and we have to have options to replace him."

Though the Bulgarian has typically dodged questions regarding his future, his agent Emil Dantchev has not been so reticent, last month telling the Evening Standard newspaper his client should leave the White Hart Lane outfit for a side "that regularly plays in the Champions League".

And Ramos, who took over at Tottenham in October 2007, said he "cannot guarantee" that Berbatov will remain at the Lane.

"If there are offers coming in we will see if they convince the club and the player as well.

"What we want is for the player to be happy and enjoy his football. The player has the key to this and it is up to him at the end of the day.

"If that happened I'm sure the club would prefer to have the money because with the money they would be able to sign the players necessary," he added.

"They would be able to look on the market for appropriate players."

Tottenham have been linked with Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o in recent weeks, with the Catalan club believed to be open to offers for the Cameroon striker.

And while Spurs fans are likely to be disappointed at the loss of the striker, who has scored for 46 goals for the club since his £10.9 million move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006, Ramos added: "Of course there are great players in Europe that can do just as well as Berbatov."