Forlan rules out England return

Uruguay striker Diego Forlan has ruled out ever returning to the Barclays Premier League to put an end to rumours linking him with a move to Tottenham this summer.

The 31-year-old was an integral part of the Atletico Madrid side that won the Europa League, scoring vital goals against Liverpool and Fulham in the semi-final and final, and took that form into the World Cup, finding the net three times to fire Uruguay into the last four.

He was quoted in the Daily Express, saying: “Tottenham are a club who are going in the right direction but I have no interest in joining the Premier League with any club.”

Forlan, who endured a turbulent two-and-half-year period in England when he took 27 games to score for Manchester United and he left for Villarreal in August 2004, added: “For a start, Spain is much hotter and also it is my home now.

“We have some very exciting young players and I am excited for the season.

“I will never play in England again but I still actually look back with fond memories at some moments.”

Of his time at Old Trafford, Forlan believes he could have struck up a good partnership with Wayne Rooney whose arrival coincided with his departure.

“I was very young at Manchester United and I feel that I was just starting to find my feet when I was sold and Rooney was brought in.

“If we had been paired together I think we could have formed the most devastating strike partnership in Europe but it wasn’t to be.”