Benoit Assou-Ekotto may seek to leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season. Assou-Ekotto, 28, signed for Spurs from Lens in 2006 and is a key part of the first-team, but he has revealed he has spoken to chairman Daniel Levy about a potential move and is eager to move on to bigger things. "Everything is possible," he told France Football. "When I met the chairman last January he told me that, if a club bigger than Tottenham came in for me, he wouldn't necessarily be against my departure. "If there is a change at Tottenham - some more money is made available - I wouldn't be against the idea of staying, but otherwise I'll try to move forwards, as I did when I left Lens." Asked if he would be looking to join a club that regularly participates in the Champions League, he said: "Yes. All players want to play in this competition. A few months ago, I said I never wanted to play in the Europa League because that competition is useless. "I have a gentleman's agreement with the chairman. As he is a man of his word, I hope that will make things easier if a great club comes in." http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/149913.html?CMP=OTC-RSS ------------------------------------------ Has he gone from our lovable Benny to Asshole Ekotto? Revealing private chats and agreements with Levy and using it to start angling for another club to come and get him, I hope this isn't true. If he wants to leave that's fine. It'd be a shame but we can respect his decision and allow him to leave if we get the right offer, I thought he'd have more respect for the club and fans than to start prostituting himself out like that. Lets hope it's all misquoted
Wouldn't worry me, I think we could get in better than him if we got a good wedge, say £8/9m. He's never been lovable Benny to me, just a decent Prem LB, and one of the weaker links in our 'first XI'.
He is being very stupid if indeed this is true, but frankly I would hold back the assault on him for now because a) it is not his style over the 5 years he has been with Spurs b) he has never demonstrated any suggestion that he feels Spurs to be below his abilities and c) he is currently recovering from an operation to a relatively serious injury which would hardly make him a top target until recovered. More likely is that he was approached with a ' would you like to play for Barca/RM/etc with guaranteed CL footie etc' question and said something affirmative - much as Bale did recently. Even more likely is that his tongue was firmly in his cheek..... But I guess the truth will out.
Echo Ghoddle's sentiments. I too wouldn't mind that much if Benny moved on, I think part of this is because he has always made it clear what motivates him in his career, he is just not a sentimental type. I can't see Levy accepting anything less than £10 million for him to be honest, and I very much doubt people will be prepared to offer that. The only place I can really see him moving to is PSG; none of the English clubs that are above us need a left-back, the likes of Barca and Madrid wouldn't be interested, would the Italians want him? I don't really think this should be taken too seriously, he's not revealing anything new that we didn't already know about him...
to be fair to benny, he's always been open and honest about how he looks at his "job". if that's how he feels, then we let him move on for the right price. He's been a good player for us, but he's replaceable. i don't actually see him moving on to be honest. I think it's more of an attempt to drop a cheeky reminder to the chairman that we need to strengthen and be "bold" this summer, like Harry's been saying. he can't get a higher level of football than the premier league. So on that basis, I don't see us selling to our rivals, which would mean him moving abroad, away from prem football. As a result, you then have to question which clubs would want to pay for him and which he would want to play for. i don't see the top sides in some of the "better" footballing countries (such as real,barca, bayern, juventus, Ac milan) needing him. therefore it's choosing a side who aren't likely to win their league. (a bit like us). Surely a move to a club like shalke (no disrespect to them) would not be an upgrade for him? yes they might have CL football which is what he's asking for... but bundesliga football week in week out for a club who are unlikely to win it?
Most of you say you "Love" benny for his honesty and now he has shown honesty you attack him! if players want to better themselves and believe they need to leave spurs then thats them being honest as ask yourself how would we sign players like modric or berbatov? these players moved to us because they wanted to better themselves so its just a progression for players. In saying that, benny would struggle to find a champions league club were he would be first choice but clearly he has ambition and we need ambitious players at our club.
Yes, the trouble with gentleman's agreements is that Levy isn't a gentleman Eh, not totally surprised to see Benny saying this, he's always been honest about football being a job for him and hasn't ever tried to pull the "<insert club here> in my blood" bullshit that you see from so many players, who are then agitating for a move a few months later. What I am surprised about is that he thinks there are bigger clubs that want him? He's a decent player, but he's hardly world class.
Benny is Benny. He will always be absolutely candid about what is going on. But this honesty cuts both ways. I think maybe if Vertonghen signs and we improve his contract, he may want to stay. Did anyone see the piece on him on "Football Mundial?"
Can't say I'm surprised tbh. Let him join Modric and Redknapp in leaving us this summer. Only the fans are loyal.
What Benny has said doesn't bother me. He's been a good servant to our club, not outstanding, but decent enough. He's never pledged undying loyalty to our club, and if he left tomorrow I'd wish him well. Part of my reason for feeling the way I do is, as others have said, he's not irreplaceable, especially as we have Bale and (possibly) Rose who could fill in for him, until we got a permanent replacement.
Players are never loyal. You only have to look at arsenal since they stopped winning things. I don't expect any of our players to stay if a bigger club came along. Modric thing was more money than anything and stay because he was offered more money. Doesn't mean he'll stay another season though. As for Benny, he's always said it's a job for him so I'm not suprised he's said this but I'm not so sure a 'bigger' club would want him. I can just imagine what Levy was thinking when he said "When I met the chairman last January he told me that, if a club bigger than Tottenham came in for me, he wouldn't necessarily be against my departure". 1) Get a fair amount (more than he is worth) if a bigger club comes along 2) yeah alright Benny, dream on
Whats this sweet ****ing jesus business about? I really do not see what the problem with my comment is?
My reasons to dislike Benny coming out with this: 1) I don't like that in January when we were flying high in 3rd, he asked Levy for assurances that he could leave. 2) I don't like that he's announced that he had the private meeting. 3) I don't like that he discussed the details of the private meeting to a journo. 4) I don't like that he's chosen to reveal this before a crucial game, regardless of whether he'll be involved in it. It's nothing to do with his honesty. He has gone totally out of his way to kick start his own transfer rumours, regardless of the disrespect to the whole club and it's fans but most importantly, the chairman who showed understanding to his concerns. Totally self serving. Conversely Adebayor doesn't know what he's doing this summer but he's taken time out to praise a couple of his colleagues and generally provide quotes for a positive article about the club.
YV, i think you need to just put it down to Benny, being Benny and is the type of character that doesn't hide any of his ambitions, in a sense yes I can understand why some will be disappointed yet often quotes aren't exact and I believe Benny feels he is at a great club yet also believes he can further his career elsewhere. Many on here have recently been lauding Martin Jol has some sort of Legend but according to an article from Levy in the telegraph, Jol had an interview with newcastle while he was under contract with us, now that should tell you there really is a severe lack of loyalty and i would rather a player is blatant about it, then to pretend to be loyal.
And you lot are all believing every word in a translated 'interview'!! As I said earlier, if he has revealed details of private meetings then he is an idiot, but it might be worth holding fire until there has been some substantiation. You never know, there might be some journos out there with an agenda to disrupt our club in the run in to the most important game of the year........
We were also in the second round of the CL. I'm not so sure it is when he meant though, PSG went in for him last summer and we convinced him to stay.
Maybe thats the move he's angling for, then? If he has no affinity to the club and wants CL football which you might not get for next season then it wouldn't be a surprise for him to go back to France and Paris. Its awfully disrespectful to conduct the move so publically though, especially when he's hiding behind this veil of "honest footballer" when in fact all he's doing is trying to pressurise the club to give him his move.
