Liverpool and Sunderland showed interest in £14m international striker - here's why deal collapsed

The Russian – who joined Spurs for £14million – was keen for a temporary move away from White Hart Lane ahead of Euro 2012, with the Black Cats and Merseysiders interested.

But Levy snubbed the chance to loan the frontman to a Premier League rival, and insisted that Pavlyuchenko headed abroad.

Speaking to Russian reporter Timur Zhuravel on his YouTube channel, Pavlyuchenko said: “So I want to play in the team at Euro 2012. The coach told me that if you don’t play, they won’t call you. Understand me”.

“Then there was still talk that Sunderland wanted to loan me, Liverpool loan. He told me that he won’t let me go anywhere in England, because he sees this as a strengthening of the team.”