Jermain Defoe is in the middle of a power struggle at Tottenham.

Sources close to the England striker fear he is becoming a pawn in the bitter power struggle between the Spurs board and boss Martin Jol as he fights to hang on to his job.

A Spurs source revealed to The Sun: "There is a suspicion Jol is now keeping Defoe out of the team just to defy the Tottenham directors and show them who is boss."