Spartak Moscow supremo Valeri Karpin has branded Tottenham's asking price for Roman Pavlyuchenko as "absurd".

"We offered £9million for his immediate transfer," said Karpin.

"Or they could get £11.5million through a loan deal - we would pay £1million right away and the rest after a year's time.

"But Tottenham rejected our proposals. We were told that the price for Pavlyuchenko was £17.6million.

"For us it would be absurd to pay that."