Dimitar Berbatov has spoken for the first time about his desire to join Manchester United, urging Tottenham Hotspur to allow him to "follow my dream" but insisting that he wants to leave on good terms. The Bulgaria striker hopes the drawn-out transfer saga will be concluded this week, with the two clubs haggling over a fee in the region of £25m to £28m as well as the structure of the payments, and the player's agent, Emil Dantchev, has said he is preparing for the "most important week yet" in Berbatov's career.
"I'm still a Tottenham player, but no one can disagree with me wanting to follow my dream," said Berbatov, who is at present away with the Bulgaria national team preparing for a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday. "However, I'm now with the national team, so I just want to think about the national team."
Berbatov was restricted to a place on the substitutes' bench as Tottenham began their season with a 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday, but he insisted he understood the manager Juande Ramos's decision. "It's not a hard period for me," he said. "I still have a lot of friends at Tottenham and I'm not angry about Ramos naming me as a substitute. People say I looked unhappy but if I was laughing when I was on the bench, they would say I was an idiot. Eric Cantona never smiled, but I don't know if anyone ever asked him why he didn't look happier."
If everything goes according to plan, Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to have Berbatov available for their match at Portsmouth next Monday. "I read Alex Ferguson's statement that he wants another striker and I hope that this striker can be Dimitar Berbatov," said Dantchev. "There are still two weeks of the transfer window to go but this is the most important week yet."
The Tottenham manager, meanwhile, cannot escape the issue of the brooding Bulgarian's future however hard he tries. Nowehere was it more apparent than at Middlesbrough when, after a game in which debuts were handed to four signings and Spurs lost an opening-day fixture for the second season running, the forward again dominated the post-match questions. Ramos smiled through most of them, but his eyes told a different story.
He is one fed-up Spaniard, but relief may mercifully be at hand if the Londoners can find a replacement for Berbatov before the transfer deadline. There remains interest in the Russian Andrei Arshavin and other options are now being seriously considered, with a bid for Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz a firm possibility. Either player would undoubtedly cause Ramos less stress. Asked why he did not start with Berbatov at the Riverside, the manager stumbled to find an answer before delivering one that contained contradiction and lacked sense.
"We went with Giovani [dos Santos] instead because we thought his speed would worry Middlesbrough," said Ramos. "But as Middlesbrough tired we thought it would be the right moment to substitute him and bring on Berbatov." But if Dos Santos' pace is such an asset, would it not have been better to introduce him after the home side tired?
Whatever the explanation, the visitors lacked incisiveness on Saturday. Darren Bent, chosen to play up front on his own, struggled to impose himself and show the sharpness that saw him plunder 13 goals in pre-season. In support, Dos Santos, one of the debutants, was sprightly but is clearly still in the process of adapting, as is Luka Modric, who moved the ball with assurance from the centre of midfield but failed to display his promised talents.
David Bentley had less excuse for his tame showing, but he did at least deliver the cross from which Spurs scored late on, Middlesbrough's Robert Huth connecting to head the ball into his own net. By that stage, however, the outcome was beyond dispute thanks to second-half goals from David Wheater and Mido, and Middlesbrough were deserving winners.
A first opening-day win in seven years was of huge satisfaction to Gareth Southgate, who believes the emphasis he has put on youth since becoming manager in 2006 - the average age of the side that started here was 24 - can help Middlesbrough to unprecedented heights. "We're thinking long-term and the aim is to take this club into the Champions League," said Southgate. "That is the vision and because we cannot compete financially for the top players, the only way we will do that is by giving youngsters an opportunity."
Spurs, meanwhile, still believe they can qualify for the Champions League this season, despite the loss of Robbie Keane and the impending departure of Berbatov. Only time will tell if they can break into the top-four but at least their manager will be able to work with a clearer mind after that Berbatov-shaped cloud has passed over White Hart Lane once and for all.
"I'm still a Tottenham player, but no one can disagree with me wanting to follow my dream," said Berbatov, who is at present away with the Bulgaria national team preparing for a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday. "However, I'm now with the national team, so I just want to think about the national team."
Berbatov was restricted to a place on the substitutes' bench as Tottenham began their season with a 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday, but he insisted he understood the manager Juande Ramos's decision. "It's not a hard period for me," he said. "I still have a lot of friends at Tottenham and I'm not angry about Ramos naming me as a substitute. People say I looked unhappy but if I was laughing when I was on the bench, they would say I was an idiot. Eric Cantona never smiled, but I don't know if anyone ever asked him why he didn't look happier."
If everything goes according to plan, Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to have Berbatov available for their match at Portsmouth next Monday. "I read Alex Ferguson's statement that he wants another striker and I hope that this striker can be Dimitar Berbatov," said Dantchev. "There are still two weeks of the transfer window to go but this is the most important week yet."
The Tottenham manager, meanwhile, cannot escape the issue of the brooding Bulgarian's future however hard he tries. Nowehere was it more apparent than at Middlesbrough when, after a game in which debuts were handed to four signings and Spurs lost an opening-day fixture for the second season running, the forward again dominated the post-match questions. Ramos smiled through most of them, but his eyes told a different story.
He is one fed-up Spaniard, but relief may mercifully be at hand if the Londoners can find a replacement for Berbatov before the transfer deadline. There remains interest in the Russian Andrei Arshavin and other options are now being seriously considered, with a bid for Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz a firm possibility. Either player would undoubtedly cause Ramos less stress. Asked why he did not start with Berbatov at the Riverside, the manager stumbled to find an answer before delivering one that contained contradiction and lacked sense.
"We went with Giovani [dos Santos] instead because we thought his speed would worry Middlesbrough," said Ramos. "But as Middlesbrough tired we thought it would be the right moment to substitute him and bring on Berbatov." But if Dos Santos' pace is such an asset, would it not have been better to introduce him after the home side tired?
Whatever the explanation, the visitors lacked incisiveness on Saturday. Darren Bent, chosen to play up front on his own, struggled to impose himself and show the sharpness that saw him plunder 13 goals in pre-season. In support, Dos Santos, one of the debutants, was sprightly but is clearly still in the process of adapting, as is Luka Modric, who moved the ball with assurance from the centre of midfield but failed to display his promised talents.
David Bentley had less excuse for his tame showing, but he did at least deliver the cross from which Spurs scored late on, Middlesbrough's Robert Huth connecting to head the ball into his own net. By that stage, however, the outcome was beyond dispute thanks to second-half goals from David Wheater and Mido, and Middlesbrough were deserving winners.
A first opening-day win in seven years was of huge satisfaction to Gareth Southgate, who believes the emphasis he has put on youth since becoming manager in 2006 - the average age of the side that started here was 24 - can help Middlesbrough to unprecedented heights. "We're thinking long-term and the aim is to take this club into the Champions League," said Southgate. "That is the vision and because we cannot compete financially for the top players, the only way we will do that is by giving youngsters an opportunity."
Spurs, meanwhile, still believe they can qualify for the Champions League this season, despite the loss of Robbie Keane and the impending departure of Berbatov. Only time will tell if they can break into the top-four but at least their manager will be able to work with a clearer mind after that Berbatov-shaped cloud has passed over White Hart Lane once and for all.
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