Jamie O'Hara will move on loan to another Premier League if he is forced to rejoin Tottenham from Portsmouth.
Pompey's financial difficulties mean the Premier League have ruled they cannot sign players, permanently or on loan, so they will not be able to extend O'Hara's deal when it expires on 15 January.
Yet rather than remain at White Hart Lane for the rest of the campaign, the England Under-21 midfielder is likely to move on to another top-flight side, with Birmingham, Bolton and Hull all believed to be interested.
Even though Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has only three central midfielders in his squad - Wilson Palacios, Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas - he is happy for O'Hara to go elsewhere.
"If Portsmouth can't do it, maybe I'll be going somewhere else," said O'Hara. "I've been doing well here and enjoying my football. Harry doesn't want me to go back and not play, so if I can't stay at Portsmouth, maybe I'll be looking to move on."
Spurs, meanwhile, are hoping Jermain Defoe will be fit for Sunday's clash at Liverpool. The striker was taken off as a precaution towards the end of the FA Cup victory over Peterborough due to a hamstring problem.
