Tottenham transfers: Leandro Damiao not interested in Spurs move

André Villas-Boas tried to sign Leandro Damiao last week Photo: Back Page Images

Leandro Damiao has thanked Tottenham Hotspur for trying to sign him in January – but insists he was never interested in a move to White Hart Lane.

The Internacional striker was heavily linked with a move to the north Londoners during the January transfer window and Spurs failed with a deadline-day bid for the forward.

But the 23-year-old insists that he was always intent on staying at the Brazilian club despite the interest from the Premier League.

“[Internacional’s] president Giovanni Luigi knows I always wanted to stay at Internacional, regardless of any offers that could come,” he told Correio do Povo.

“I certainly thank Tottenham [for their interest], they are a big club in Europe, but my focus is on Inter.

“I hope to help Inter for a long time, I have a long contract and I am very happy and focused.”

Tottenham boss André Villas-Boas revealed last week that the north Londoners were close to a deal for Damiao – but admits a summer transfer now looks unlikely.

“The player has been linked recently with Spurs, we’ve made it public before that it’s a player that we chase, but we couldn’t agree on the full conditions so we’ve moved on,” said Villas-Boas.

“Could it [a deal for Damiao] happen in the summer? No I don’t think so, it’s probably finished now.”