Jermain Defoe is set to pen a new contract with Tottenham.

The Mirror says Defoe will end speculation over his Spurs future by signing a new contract after boss Juande Ramos was urged to keep him by technical director Damien Comolli.

Defoe, who has 18 months left to run on his contract, is now set to put pen to paper on a four-year deal worth £40,000 a week plus bonuses for appearances and goals.

And it has emerged since then that Ramos was persuaded to make the U-turn by Comolli the day after the Spaniard decided to give Defoe the boot.

The news will disappoint Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill who was keen to sign Defoe.

But it is an embarrassing situation for Ramos, who yesterday admitted decisions on transfer policy are not his alone to make, even though he does have the power to veto targets put forward by Comolli or chairman Daniel Levy.

Ramos said: "We evaluate the players as a group, decide whether we are interested in players and make a final decision."