Juande Ramos is ready to lose Dimitar Berbatov to Spain - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Juande Ramos is ready to lose Dimitar Berbatov to Spain

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos has begun to plan for life without striker Dimitar Berbatov after privately conceding the Bulgarian won't be at the club next season.

Ramos is understood to have told close friends that he expects the 27-year-old to join Barcelona or Real Madrid after talks over a new contract broke down.

Standard Sport revealed last week how Berbatov's agent Emil Dantchev is looking for his client to join a club playing in the Champions League and a move to Spain is most likely, despite being linked with both Chelsea and Manchester United.

Berbatov still has two years left on his current contract, meaning that Spurs will be able to command a huge fee for the player they signed for £10.9million from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006.

Keeper Paul Robinson is also expected to depart this summer, with Middlesbrough the favourites to secure his signature.

It is understood Robinson, who may face Bolton on Saturday after an ankle injury, is looking to leave London for a club in the north.

Middlesbrough are searching for a replacement for Mark Schwarzer, who is out of contract at the end of the season, and manager Gareth Southgate is a fan of the England international.

That Robinson grew up in East Yorkshire not too far away from Middlesbrough could be another attraction for the keeper.

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