Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen has ruled out the prospect of Dimitar Berbatov leaving the club in January, insisting that the striker is among the "three best players" in the Premier League.
Speculation is rife over the Bulgarian's future at Craven Cottage as of late after his agent claimed that his client was "not happy" at the club.
Nevertheless, the 32-year-old played the full 90 minutes of the Cottagers' 1-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur tonight, and Meulensteen says that his performance was one of a committed man.
Asked whether the former Manchester United forward - who worked with the newly-appointed Fulham boss at Old Trafford - could leave the club next month, the 49-year-old told Sky Sports News: "No, not at all. I've not seen or heard what he's said, but if anyone knows Dimitar it's me. "Look at that performance tonight and tell me he doesn't want to play for this club. "If he continues playing at that level he's one of the three best players in the league." Two goals in the final 17 minutes from Spurs pair Vlad Chiriches and Lewis Holtby consigned the West London outfit to a sixth successive defeat in the Premier League.