Liverpool’s lynching our lefty!
There’s a story that hit the press today that made my heart sink like a stone. Fresh from the promise of a second 5th place and getting further from the truth of the gap between the Big Four and the rest of the league, I was trying on a few delusions of grandeur for size. My last post got The Bagel thinking. Maybe we can do it next season if we can just make a good two more top signings than arsenal or Liverpool. We may just be able to reach critical mass but with no area more critical in my eye than the left wing, I am most frustrated to read of Benitez’s interested in top target Morten Gamst Pedersen.
There’s three major questions a footballer has when he moves to another club and one minor one:
1. How much will I get?
2. Will I get to play?
3. Can you offer me the Champions League?
and the minor: Where do I have to live?
The problem is that Liverpool have got the edge on us in all four areas. They can offer him just as much or more with their new found riches. The Scouse Summer Sale includes left sided options Kewell and Mark Gonzalez, leaving only left back proper, Riise and right sided probable Luis Garcia in Morten’s way. In short, he will play and what’s worse it’ll be the Champions League he’ll play in.
As for the minor, well, if he moves to Liverpool it’s only just down the road. What sticks we has will not need to be upped and his wife and kiddies will not have to be hoicked out of whatever scally schools and beauty parlours they currently frequent.
The only option that gives us is with Blackburn themselves. Will we out bid Liverpool and will the player stand for it. It doesn’t look likely and the last but most desperate of ploys would be to plead, beg and get our offer in as soon as we can but I’ve a feeling that it works with football transfers as it does in courting - treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen. After all if something is too easy to obtain, perhaps it’s not worth having in the first place.
It doesn’t seem like a difficult one for Morten Gamst Harket who rejected our £5m bid last summer with a comment along the lines of “Spurs are not a big club. Why would I want to go there?” A simple ‘no thank you’ would suffice, Morten. We get the picture.
Another option to resurface on the side made so popular by Musical Youth and their ‘Dutchie’, is that of Martin Petrov featured many, many bagels ago. Petrov, the Bulgarian one (Martin) when last we heard was doing none to well at Athletico Madrid, who were looking to recoup his £7m price tag by charging £8m for him. Go figure.
Since then he’s added a year to his 27 and not a single goal to his pathetic tally of two. However, this probably hasn’t been aided any by his lack of appearances. Right now he feels like one giant second prize. Watch as he unleashes a vicious tap in, two lethal spot kicks and to be fair a couple of good goals too…
…which unfortunately were all over three years ago now.
Maybe he’ll come good. Maybe this is just the challenge he needs but maybe we’ll still favour Malbranque et al. For the record, here’s his head…
…giving us his Biggles impression.
Word is just hitting the streets, via The Times, that Gareth Bale and Auxerre centre half, Younes Kaboul, will be ours this week. Bale’s fee could rise to as much as a cool £10m and Kaboul’s anywhere from £6m-£8. That doesn’t leave us much left to play with, unless we offload the like of Murphy and Mido, which will still leave us the other £17.99m to find.
The scary part is that Auxerre fans are rubbing their hands at the prospect of the Kaboul deal with the confidence of the knights from Monty Python’s Holy Grail, “I told ‘im we already got one.” Let’s hope these are the ramblings equivalent to the level of our old friend, French Poodle.
Should we splash the cash on these two purchases, that gives us about £12m left to spend on a winger, a defensive midfielder, a striker now that Mido has confirmed his wish to leave with:
“I made a big mistake when I signed permanently for Spurs.
I am contracted for four years but if I get a good offer, then I will be in another place next season.”
and maybe this fellow…
…not bad, eh?
Wesley Sneijder is known as The Playmaker of Ajax but word has it that he’s on the market; his word as it goes:
“The correct way of doing things is that the clubs first reach an agreement, after that I can start talking.”
Now that was just a response to the question of him moving but so far with nowhere in mind, although Valencia, ourselves and yes, Newcastle are interested.
He’s just 22 years old looks rather world class and would certainly give JJ something to think about, perhaps on the train up to Everton for his £15m medical. I’ve no idea how else we’d fund this move for what would be a non-essential purchase.
It’s likely that this story’s just a bit of nothing but all the same, here’s his head…
…just checking it’s all still there.
Right, I’ve got to hit the hay. There’s doe to nead in the morning and customers awaiting their Hovis. Damn those cobbles can cause some serious saddle damage to my buns.
I were right about that bagel.
The Bagel.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:31 am
Sneijder does indeed look class… Good shout.
£18m is a LOT to spend on two (pretty much) unproven defenders.. Alarm bells… Particularly when that left-wing still remains unoccupied. Mido’s as good as gone (someone should ring Portsmouth before they run out of money), so will need replacing. I still think Zigic would be an awesome replacement for the big man. Allegedly Bent is practically signed, but this would surely be a straight in/out with Defoe.
It’s the wing that keeps me awake at night though.
MGP would be top of my list. Downing wouldn’t be too far down in the order - I really think he could come good at Spurs. And that Nakamura at Celtic looks interesting too. Come on MJ, the suspense is (already) killing me!!
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:41 am
I think we should not worry too much about funds - the money seems to be there if the right player to take us forward comes along. With Bale, Bent and Kaboul seemingly signed, seeled and awaiting delivery (makes a change) for what must be around £25mill - at the beginning of the summer - than we must have a larger budget than normal.
Dont forget that this has been our most successful season (in terms of finnancial gain), we will recieve a massive windfall due to the new tv rights deal and im sure we will earn a small fortune through the sale of FOUR new kits (which are class i must add). This surely means a very healthy bank statement - and when coupled with lillywhite levy’s desire to break the top four - points to an abundance of top class signings.
I am extremely optimistic about this transfer period. RE: Sneijder i had a feeling we would be signing him ever since Jol constantly talked him up during the world cup - he was commenting for ITV/BBC. Have faith….
May 23rd, 2007 at 10:51 am
as i am half dutch i know a lot about sneijder, he could play on the left and as i have seen, deliver some very good crosses, but he could cut in and have a shot with the deadly right foot of his…. i want him!
COYS!
May 23rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
Chimbondage agree about the kits, they’ve grown on me.
I’m getting the yellow one and you can’t stop me!
May 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 am
Damn those scousers! although as regards the Liverpool clear-out I think Kewell still might have something (other than a game leg) to offer and I wouldn’t be averse to seeing us punt 1-2 mil. on him, dependent on him proving his fitness or some such caveat, if only as a back-up to whoever we do sign for the first-team role. I think Petrov’s had his day having watched Atletico roll over against Barcelona at the weekend. If he can’t get in that side he’s obviously not up to much any more.
Good news regarding Bale though, hasn’t he played as a winger in the past as well as a left-back? he’s certainly got the pace and a rocket of a shot from what I’ve seen and would add some much needed vitality down the flank.
RE: Sneijder. Quality player, but having him in the side would only further highlight the need for a good DM in my view. Let’s see what MJ and Comolli can rustle up between them…
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:52 pm
As we speak there’s some serious rustling going on at the LAne medical centre. Most sourcing are reporting that Bale’s under examination as we speak. It seems he’s all but ours.
The Bagel.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Have heard Sneijder mentioned on many - less interesting - websites as well, so hopefully it is a case of no smoke without fire. Imagine Bale and Sneijder fighting over the free kicks (no more wasteful jenas!), now thats something to make every yid smile!
Also wanted to say excellent work Bagel - your thoughts and rumours have kept me entertained over the season. Keep up the good work!
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Yup, Bale all but wrapped up. He’s still unproven at the top level though… Having said that I am rather excited. And FINALLY, a proper lefty. Welcome GB.
Petrov is apparently top of MJs wishlist again, but dependant on whether Wenger lets Reyes go to Atletico Madrid.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Would be nice to have someone in like Sneijder who can crack a shot from outside the box (other than Defoe, who looks half out the door already) but I’m pretty skeptical about his arrival. As you mentioned, with 25m already set aside for kaboul, bale, and bent, how much are we really able to spend this summer? Also, with valencia interested, how heavily is the “dutch connection” going to outweigh “champions league football”. I also don’t see anyone dishing out the required 15m for jenas. If they’re going to pony up that much cash, they might as well just buy sneijder themselves. Are there any other left-sided targets we’re rumored to be interested in besides MGP and Petrov? I don’t think it’s fair to right petrov off too soon. He missed most of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury, so he may just be slow getting back in the swing of things..
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
As the entire nation of Mauritius adopts scouse accents and supports ‘their’ team tonight - I shall be watching with my Yiddo taxi driver, smug in the knowledge that Bale will - admittedly at the cost of our ‘glamour’ rating - provide a welcome boost, and a great coup over some of the ‘big’ four…
COYS!!!
May 24th, 2007 at 11:34 am
YESSSSS! at last a good left back, can’t wait!
May 25th, 2007 at 9:29 am
TobytheYid in pessimism shocker:
Having just read about an alleged move by manure to pay a total of £39 mil for berbatov (including Sahaha), and having also read Berby’s agent’s comments: You never know what can happen tomorrow in football’ I am getting the cold sweats…
Surely - even if Berbatov doesn’t sign a new contract, we still have him under his present contract for 3 more years, so we do not have to sell him at all, correct??
Sahaha and 20 odd million included, it would be a step backwards in building the squad - there is surely no justification for the board to entertain this idea, or is there?
May 25th, 2007 at 10:43 am
There can be no justification whatsoever for Berbatov to be sold and that is why I don’t think the board would sanction this move this year.
His valuation this time next year is unlikely to be less than it is know.
I think that if Berby doesn’t get European Cup footy with us next season he will be keen to move on himself and then the boards hand will be forced.
Unless Levy is really stupid on this then he can’t lose. He hangs on to him this year. In doing so keeps the best player we’ve had for years at the club and keeps onside with the fans. If we don’t break the top 4 next season then it’s most likely that Berby will want to move and the pressure is off Levy as it ceases to be his decision.
For me the key to whether Berbatov stays with us for the long term is how determined are the board to get into the top 4. We should get a clear indication with the type of signings we make.
So, TTY we do not have to sell him. He is under contract to us and unless he decided to kick up one hell of a fuss that he doesn’t want to play for us any more than he’s not going anywhere.
I hope you enjoyed the match on Wednesday night with the locals? That’s what you get from over cautious, defensive football. How the scousers must be wishing that they had Berbatov in their side.
May 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Thanks Hornchurch.
The match was interesting. Well, the game wasn’t great, but the commentary was english - unlike the half time ‘analysis’, which was in creole, and involved 7 (seven) pundits, all talking at once for 20 mins…yes, suddenly it jumped to the second half, five minutes late…
The locals were gutted.
Also, some guy at the hotel was treated for major sunburn. Lobster red all over, an ‘england’ tattoo in a the middle of his back, slightly wonky, and a can of beer clasped in his hand. The doctor carted him off, leaving his Arsenal shirt in the sand…Mrs theYid and I retired to bed, sniggering. x