Leandro Damiao: Thanks Tottenham for their interest in him

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.