Tottenham manager Juande Ramos played a straight bat to all queries about the future of star striker Dimitar Berbatov amid continued speculation he is set to join Manchester United.

The Bulgarian has been linked with a £25million move to Old Trafford but Ramos was adamant on Saturday, after the 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in their opening Barclays Premier League game, that no offer had been put in for the player and that Berbatov had not formally requested a transfer.

After seeing his side beaten by goals from David Wheater and ex-Spurs forward Mido, Ramos said: "Obviously we have been concentrating on the game and since Friday our minds have been on the game.

"For the moment Berbatov is a Spurs player. We are happy with him, he is part of the Spurs squad and there is nothing to say about it, I don't have any comment to make on it."

Berbatov was introduced as a 65th-minute substitute, but Ramos insisted the decision to start the match with him on the bench had nothing to do with the player's state of mind.

"We actually opted for Giovani (dos Santos) because we thought that his speed would be something that would trouble Middlesbrough," Ramos added.

"However, as Middlesbrough tired in the game we thought it might be the right moment in the game to throw on Berbatov."

Asked if he wanted Berbatov to stay, he replied: "Of course, I love great players."

He also insisted United were yet to make a renewed bid for the player, while hinting that Spurs' own recruitment drive might not be over yet with Russian star Andrei Arshavin still linked with a move to north London.

He said: "We have lost one forward (Robbie Keane). Let's just see if we're capable of adding to the squad in one or two areas, putting an end to any purchases and then seeing how we can get everyone to play as a team and as an efficient unit."

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