Tottenham boss Juande Ramos insists they did all they could to keep Portsmouth striker Jermain Defoe in January.

"The situation came from the problem that we had four forwards of a magnificent level and one of them had to go," said Ramos. "Due to his contractual situation it was he that went, as he wasn't prepared to sign another contract.

"We tried to negotiate with him to sign a new contract but he wasn't interested in that."