Striker Berbatov says he is happy at Tottenham

 The Bulgaria striker, in the second year of a four-year contract, has been linked with a move to English champions Manchester United.

 But the 26-year-old said he wanted to tell Tottenham fans "I am not going anywhere."

   "I don't want to see my name in the newspapers anymore - I just want to play football and enjoy myself," he told the club's official website.

 "I love the club and everyone at the club. I don't always smile so much but that does not make me a bad person. I don't smile because we are near the bottom of the table and have not been playing well - I have not been playing well either."

   After finishing fifth in each of the past two years, Spurs, who remain just above the relegation zone, have struggled this season, sacking manager Martin Jol and replacing him with Juande Ramos.

 Berbatov hinted that all the speculation about his future had affected his game.

 "I have a contract and I will give my best, for now it is not going so well for me because all the writing in the papers has been messing with my head and I lost my concentration," he said.

 "I just want to play football and enjoy myself. When I see things in the paper, with somebody telling lies about my father, how can I be calm? I am disappointed and I don't understand how somebody can write something like that - it is a lie."

   Ramos said on Wednesday that he would not stand in the way of any player who wanted to leave the club.

 "I believe you can't force players to stay in the team if they don't want to," he said. "It is not good for the team or the player, so I wouldn't stand in anyone's way if they want to leave.

 "I think he is happy but that is a question you need to ask him. He is a Spurs player and he needs to help and support the team."

dpa