Martin Jol is being blamed for Tottenham's failure to sign Manchester City winger Martin Petrov when he was available in the summer from Atletico Madrid.

The Sunday Mirror says Jol, Tottenham boss at the time, claimed the club had blocked the move because at 28, Petrov was too old.

But Spurs insiders now insist they failed to land Petrov because he didn't want to work with Jol and preferred to join Sven Goran Eriksson at Manchester City.