Defoe stunned as Ramos tells him: You can leave if you want

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• More Spurs news

The Spurs striker dropped the bombshell on the eve of tomorrow's Carling Cup semi-final, first-leg clash with Arsenal.

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Should I stay or should I go? Defoe faces a choice

England hitman Defoe told The Sun: "The manager has said I can leave if I want — but I want to prove him wrong. 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, which was why he didn't give me a game against Reading 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.

"I would love to sign a new contract — and I know people at the top of the club want me to stay.

"But no one can expect me to sign a new deal if I can't get a game."

In-form Defoe, 25, has scored five goals in his last seven matches.

Yet, bizarrely, he has only started two Premier League games so far this season.

He has just 18 months remaining on his current contract.

While Ramos is happy for Defoe to leave, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is desperate for the striker to stay.

Defoe also struggled to get into the starting line-up under Martin Jol.

And the £7million signing from West Ham four years ago added: "All I want to do is play football. It would be great to play against Arsenal as it is such a big game."