Spurs have earned a reputation for investing in talent before increasing their value and although many have remained at White Hart Lane, Michael Carrick was a departure to Manchester United.

Dimitar Berbatov has been targeted by United this summer, while Liverpool's pursuit of strike partner Robbie Keane has provoked anger from Spurs.

Both would command fees that would mean a huge profit on original transfer fees, as would goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

"At Tottenham we have a clear philosophy and, for years, they have managed the transfer market in a certain manner," said Ramos, who arrived at Spurs last season from Sevilla.

"People have to understand that this is a club that is on the stock market, a company that has to give accounts at the end.

"The idea is to sign young players, with prospects and quality and, if there are good offers for others who are older, to study them to see what is the best for the club."

Spurs have already signed Luka Modric and Giovani dos Santos this summer and have invested heavily in recent seasons, although Berbatov and Keane would be deemed huge losses.

Ramos has been quoted in Spain distancing himself from a move for Espanyol's Luis Garcia - who would be a replacement for Keane - but Sevilla's winger Diego Capel has appeared interested in a move if a fee can be agreed.

At the moment, seeing which of his strikers will remain at the club could determine Ramos' next move.

He told Spanish newspaper AS: "We'll see how it will all end, but we are talking about two very important footballers. At the moment they're with us, but what will happen will happen.

"The idea is to keep hold of an important squad, which has a potential that lets us aim to better that of last season.

"We have to be realistic, to look at where we are starting from and who is going to compete with us. There are important clubs which have spent years spending a lot of money and who have a certain advantage, in fact they say that they want to sign some of our players.

"We realise that there is a 'top four' formed by Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal who are those that in the past few years take the Champions League places and it is very hard to break in there.

"Our ambition is to end up in this 'top four' of the Premier League and put ourselves in these places, but we know that is difficult and that there are other teams who are going to fight for the same."