Damiao happy to stay in Brazil

Posted Tuesday, February 05, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Leandro Damiao has thanked Tottenham for their interest in him but insists that he is happy to remain at Internacional.

The 23-year-old striker has been linked with a move to England for more than a couple of years, with Tottenham long tipped to secure his signature.

They again tried in January but were unable to secure a deal for the Brazil international.

"[Internacional's] president Giovanni Luigi knows I always wanted to stay at Internacional, regardless of any offers that could come," he told Correio do Povo.

"I certainly thank Tottenham [for their interest], they are a big club in Europe, but my focus is on Inter.

"I hope to help Inter for a long time, I have a long contract and I am very happy and focused."

Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas said on Sunday that it was the complicated nature of Damiao's ownership, with his former club Atletico Ibirama still owning a percentage of him, that made it difficult to finalise a deal.

"It wasn't something we just did on the last day of the window. Third party ownership makes it difficult to do," he insisted.

The 23-year-old striker has been linked with a move to England for more than a couple of years, with Tottenham long tipped to secure his signature.

They again tried in January but were unable to secure a deal for the Brazil international.

"[Internacional's] president Giovanni Luigi knows I always wanted to stay at Internacional, regardless of any offers that could come," he told Correio do Povo.

"I certainly thank Tottenham [for their interest], they are a big club in Europe, but my focus is on Inter.

"I hope to help Inter for a long time, I have a long contract and I am very happy and focused."

"It wasn't something we just did on the last day of the window. Third party ownership makes it difficult to do," he insisted.