Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe insists he will stay and fight for his place at White Hart Lane, despite being told he can leave by manager Juande Ramos.

The England international has been unable to command a regular berth in Spurs' starting XI for a year-and-a-half and with three other top strikers - Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent - on the club's books, Ramos has said he would understand if Defoe wanted to quit.

But the 25-year-old is refusing to accept such a fate and is determined to add to the meagre two starts he has won so far this season.

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

"He called me into 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 [on Wednesday] which was why he didn't give me a game against Reading [in the FA Cup] 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."

But at the same time, the former West Ham United ace admitted it would not be prudent of him to sign a new long-term deal with the north London club unless he was being played on a regular basis.

"How can I be expected to stay for the next few years if I am going to be on the bench all the time?", he added.

"I don't think any player would accept that."

Defoe's future seems tied with that of his team-mate Dimitar Berbatov, who continues to be linked with Manchester United and Chelsea despite Spurs' assurances he will not be sold.

But should those promises prove unfounded and should Berbatov leave, Defoe's chances of reclaiming a starting slot in Ramos' side, and of securing a long-term future with Spurs, would improve greatly.

"I just want to get back into the team and then I will be desperate to sign a new contract," he added.

"I have no desire to play for any club other than Spurs."

Eurosport