Fulham boss Chris Coleman says Tottenham will have to drop their asking price for Wayne Routledge if the clubs are to agree a permanent deal.
Routledge, 22, has been on loan at Craven Cottage since August but is likely to return to Spurs this month.
"He's a player we want but it's got to be the right price. It's not going to be a panic signing," said Coleman.
"I won't have Tottenham pulling my pants down over the fee. They are at one price - we're at another."
Routledge scored Fulham's winning goal as they came from behind to beat Leicester 4-3 in the FA Cup third round replay on Wednesday.
But he will be unavailable for the game against Tottenham on Saturday as part of his deal.
Routledge joined Fulham on a season-long loan but Spurs have the right to recall the player in January and Coleman fears he may lose the former Crystal Palace player.
He added: "At the minute it looks like he's going back. Tottenham want to take him back this month.
"If they take him back and play him fair enough, but I'll be disappointed if they take him and he's not even in the squad - what's the point of that?
We know Bouba is a good player but he is no good to us if he is injured
Chris Coleman
"We want to keep Wayne because he's done well for us and Wayne wants to stay because he wants to play first team football and he'll get that here."
And Coleman says he has major doubts that his move to bring the 31-year-old Alexei Smertin, who had spells with Portsmouth, Chelsea and Charlton, back to England will come off.
He said: "His club in Russia have thrown a few spanners in the works so I'm not banking on it."
The Fulham manager also suggested he could be willing to sell 28-year-old midfielder Papa Bouba Diop, who has been linked with a switch to Wigan.
He said: "Bouba has not played a lot of games. I've not spoken to him but there has been a bit of interest for one or two clubs.
"If you look at the games he has played for us since he came back from the African Nations it's not a lot so we have to get him fit and available for us or he will have to be available for someone else.
"We know Bouba is a good player but he is no good to us if he is injured and he has been injured too much."
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