CHARLTON insist they had no option but to sell England midfielder Danny Murphy to London rivals Tottenham.

Despite club and player agreeing a confidentiality clause following Murphy’s £2 million move to White Hart Lane, the flak from the fall-out left nothing to the imagination.

One senior Charlton insider went as far to stress: "The fact of the matter is that Danny Murphy did not want to play for Charlton.

"We were left with the choice of playing him in the reserves for the remaining two and a half years of his contract or selling him. This whole episode has left a bad taste in my mouth."

Murphy, who completed the move 40 minutes before the closure of the January transfer window, intimated that he needed to play for a bigger club.

He said: "No disrespect to Charlton but they are not Tottenham, in terms of the squad they have, the fan base and the potential."

Manager Alan Curbishley angrily retorted: "I would imagine that his social diary will be that much fuller because he’s a Spurs player and not a Charlton player."

Charlton return to the North West, where they have not won this season, to face Manchester City on Sunday (4pm).

* FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S BEXLEY EXTRA.