Alan Pardew insists a £7million bid for Charlton Athletic striker Darren Bent 'isn't going to touch the sides'.
Speculation has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are ready to bid that sum to bring Bent to White Hart Lane in January.
New Charlton boss Pardew admits his intention is to keep the club's top scorer at The Valley, and certainly would not countenance accepting a £7million bid.
But Pardew also acknowledges that a knee injury to Bent, which will keep the England cap out for five weeks, has given him a problem.
"It sounds like his price has dropped if you're thinking £7million because £7million isn't going to touch the sides for Darren Bent," said Pardew on Sky Sports News.
"This is a top-class player in my view. After watching him for just a week and a bit, he's an England player and that's how he should set his goals.
"At the moment he's a Charlton player and that's what he will stay.
"His injury at the moment gives us a problem. We cannot afford to have him out of the team for five weeks, so I'm having to assess it and weigh up all the situations and I'll have to do what's right for Charlton Football Club.
"My priority when I came here, and when he was fit, was that he was not going to go anywhere, that was categoric.
"The injury changes things. We are trying to locate a strike to replace him, so we'll see.
"Certainly the figures for Darren Bent being bandied around are way too low."
Spurs later confirmed to Sky Sports News that the club had not made any bid for the former Ipswich Town striker.