Dimitar Berbatov has sought to defuse an explosive situation with an emotive statement about his future at Tottenham Hotspur. The forward has been angered by comments attributed to his father, Ivan, and brother, Asen, that claimed that he was unhappy and wanted to leave the club. Those close to the family have said that they did not make the comments.

Uncertainty about Berbatov’s prospects at White Hart Lane has been fuelled by interest from Manchester United in the summer, Tottenham’s poor start to the season and his agent holding talks with the club this week.

United first made an approach for the Bulgaria forward towards the end of last season, his first at the club after a move from Bayer Leverkusen, in which he scored 23 goals. Tottenham, though, were unwilling to sell him.

He was given a pay rise in September and a transfer clause of about £28 million was inserted into his contract, which keeps him at the club until 2010.

“I don’t like to speak too much and to be in the spotlight or papers,” Berbatov said. “I just want to play football. I am my own man. When I want to speak I will and will tell you the truth, no matter how hard it is. That is why I am talking now. I am a Tottenham player, I love the club. I don’t always smile so much, but that does not make me a bad person. I don’t smile because we are near the bottom of the table and have not been playing well – I have not been playing well either.”

Berbatov is particularly close to his mother, Margarita, and his brother, Asen, a former player who is also his business partner. “There has been a lot of stuff written about me leaving,” Berbatov said. “I haven’t said anything until now, but they are now involving my family and I cannot allow that. When somebody is writing lies about my family I must get involved.

“I don’t want to see my name in the papers any more – I just want to play football and enjoy myself. When I see things in the paper with somebody telling lies about my father, how can I be calm? I am disappointed and I don’t understand how somebody can write lies. It is the worst thing. When people see that, they start to believe it.”

Despite Berbatov’s insistence, it is believed that he will look to move to a bigger club in the summer. He has a gentlemen’s agreement that he can do so if the club do not qualify for the Champions League this season.

“I am happy here and I will help the club in any way I can,” Berbatov said. “The fans have been behind me since my first game. I appreciate them the most and want to tell them I am not going anywhere. I have a contract and I will give my best. For now it is not going so well for me because all the writing in the papers has been messing with my head and I lost my concentration.”

Emil Dantchev, his agent, said last night that he had nothing more to add. “Berbatov must be calm and concentrated as there is a very difficult programme ahead with Tottenham and Bulgaria.”