Ange Postecoglou insisted he knew nothing about Eric Dier's links to Bayern Munich and told a reporter not to question his integrity when he insisted the defender is injured.
Dier was not included in Tottenham's squad for the FA Cup third round fixture against Burnley at home, which they won 1-0 thanks to Pedro Porro's stunning strike.
That caused suspicion after reports that Bayern Munich had reached a verbal agreement with the 29-year-old to bring him to Germany.
Asked about Dier, Postecoglou said:'Yeah, he's injured. He just pulled up sore, didn't train yesterday.'
Pressed on the links between Dier and Bayern Munich, he said: 'Separate issue, mate, but don't my integrity when I say he's injured. He's injured, didn't train yesterday.
'Ask him, but he was injured, got nothing to do with anything else.
'I've got no idea [about Bayern]. It's of no interest. When you ask me whether he's injured, he's injured. Like I didn't make that up.
'If he wasn't injured, I'd say to you he wasn't selected. It's easier for me to say. He's injured and in terms of anything else that's happening, not on my radar, not that I've heard of.
'And if there is something, I'm sure we'll hear of it, but fair to say last 24 hours we've been focusing on the game and the guys who are available.'
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