Rafael Benitez claims Tottenham are "desperate" to sell Jermain Defoe.

The Liverpool boss, speaking on the eve of the 203rd Merseyside derby at Anfield, made his stunning revelation just 24 hours after Spurs boss Martin Jol denied any interest in signing Reds striker Djibril Cisse.

Cisse's agent reported this week there was a failed transfer-window deadline-day move from Spurs to sign the Frenchman - adding negotiations may resume in the summer, with the possibility of a swap deal with Defoe.

Benitez has shed a new light on the situation, though, saying: "They [Spurs] are desperate to sell Jermain Defoe, and Cisse is in the middle.

"But he is our player - and at the moment I am happy with my strikers. They [Spurs] talk about Cisse, they are desperate to sell."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy reacted angrily to Benitez's rermarks: "I find today's reported comments by Rafael Benitez beyond belief. Not only are they completely untrue, but it is unprecedented that any manager should comment in this way on another team's player.

"It could in fact be interpreted as a direct and blatant attempt to unsettle Jermain. We have not had a single conversation on this point with Liverpool or any other club so I fail to see how he can make this statement."

Levy repeated Spurs manager Martin Jol's comments on Thursday that there was no truth in reports the north London club were interested in signing Cisse at the end of this season. "We have absolutely no intention of making an offer for Cisse.... On all these issues, I resent having to put the record straight when it should never have been put into question.

"I should expect that Mr Benitez on reflection, withdraws his wholly inappropriate, unprofessional and inaccurate comments. They do him no credit."