Pavlyuchenko denies Sporting link
Tottenham Hotspur striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has hit out at reports suggesting he is to join Sporting Lisbon on loan, following claims made by his agent.
The Russia forward has endured a stop-start 18 months at White Hart Lane after moving to England from Spartak Moscow in August 2008, leading his agent Thomas Zorn to reveal that negotiations were under way with the Portuguese team.
"Negotiations exist with Tottenham for the loan of the player but I think that this is complicated by money," Zorn told Portuguese newspaper Abola on Tuesday.
"Pavlyuchenko has a price and the money situation of Sporting makes it very difficult to reach an agreement. The contact continues but at this moment the forward is with Spurs, but if Tottenham reject the player, it is clear that Sporting would be a good destination."
But Pavlyuchenko, who bounced back to score 10 goals in 12 appearances for Spurs after Christmas, insists that he will remain in England or move back home to Russia should his spell with Spurs come to an end.
"They [Spurs and Sporting] came to an agreement about everything? It’s the first I’ve heard about it. I know nothing about this," the 28-year-old said in the Daily Mail.
"Nobody spoke to me about moving to Portugal. Therefore there is nothing to comment on, especially as the question of priorities is still the same for me: if not England, then Russia."
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The front-man struggled to nail down a regular slot in Harry Redknapp's attack, falling behind the likes of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.
And with Redknapp reportedly chasing a host of strikers ahead of Spurs' Champions League debut, a cloud remains over his future.
By James Martini
Gary Parkinson is a freelance writer, editor, trainer, muso, singer, actor and coach. He spent 14 years at FourFourTwo as the Global Digital Editor and continues to regularly contribute to the magazine and website, including major features on Euro 96, Subbuteo, Robert Maxwell and the inside story of Liverpool's 1990 title win. He is also a Bolton Wanderers fan.
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