so, so true. we should be considering ourselves very lucky with this. But then again, from Vert's comments, it appears that football really matters to him and he likes everything he's seen about spurs so far. maybe he wants to join us deep down, and these comments are frustration over the deal taking so long?
A player of this quality will not be hanging around ,somebody will snap him up. It would be nice to be regarded as a club with "Purpose and desire" Than , talks a lot , offers little and "always nicking a quid"
Got to disagree with that. There are probably only about nine or ten players ever who have cost more for Spurs - and he only has one year on his contract left. I am reminded of the amazing fact that when Liverpool signed Skrtl for £6.5m four years ago he was their most expensive defender EVER. IN comparison Spurs have been incredibly profligate, even if you go back to the 90s when we regularly spent £5m or so on very normal defenders. Don't mean to say we shouldn't buy him. Just recognise that £10-12m for a defender that has never played in this league and only has a year left on his contract is a very hefty outlay.
Players from Belgium & Holland generally fit in well with our game as it is very similar. I am thinking like a few others its a no brainer, if Levy is playing brinkmanship he will lose.
If we want to be considered a "big" club we have to act like one. The game has moved on. Why waste the players, supporter expectations if everything collapses over a million squid ?
Well I don't think transfer policy should be based on not disappointing fans' expectations. If it was we'd regularly be spending £20m on players that look food on FIFA and Championship Manager. I'm certainly not saying we shouldn't buy him. And I'm certainly not saying that it's a good idea to turn down a signing over £1m. But you have to acknowledge that £12m is a HELL of a lot for a defender who's gonna be able to sign for free in about seven months' time. And I think people are missing the point that when Levy reportedly doesn't want to pay more than £10m but Ajax want £12 that is not a difference of £2m. It's a difference of at least £2m. Cos Levy might price him more at £6-7m which would not be unreasonable at all. Just out of interest (I might do it myself if I get a chance) how many double-figure central defenders have there been in the Prem? I would guess it's less than most people think.
fair points lenny, but how about this.. suppose we sack him off this summer and no one buys him. let's also say we're lucky enough for it to happen in january too. if we were even lucky enough to get to next summer, without him being snapped up, do you really think we'd get him? god knows how many clubs would want him because he'd be free, of which most of them would be able to pay him more than us. also, we might not have a great season for all we know, which may influence his decision to go elsewhere. that's the current ammo that Ajax have against us. He's in demand and they don't care where he goes. like sidney says, "the game has moved on". the bloke is a top defender, we have to pay up, simple as that.
Did you forget to put Tampax on your shopping list this week or something? Why do I take time to respond? Two reasons: I think about what I type, and I have Not606 in the background as I work rather than hit refresh every five seconds.
Agree with all of that. I think there's a very good argument for a club like Spurs to be sgning players before they become free agents. (In fact I was arguing from your position in the debate as to whether or not we should sign Cahill Jan before last). But the fact that he is going to become a free agent means that even if Spurs aren't the ones that benefit from this happening Ajax will be the ones suffering. So it's in their interests to not let it happen and that is a powerful bargaining chip in our favour. Mainly I just want to add a voice of dissent to all the "What? He's only £12m" that I've read in many places. By my swift bit of research £12m would make him the 6th most expensive CB signing in the Prem ever. (Luiz £21m, Carvalho £20m, Toure £16m, Ferdinand £27.5m and £18m). And the 3rd most expensive CB import ever. Clubs like us, Newcastle, Arsenal, Everton, Villa, Liverpool have NEVER bought a CB for this much before. And he's out of contract in a year! I just want to emphasise how impatient and unrealistic people are being when they think that £12m is peanuts or that us not wanting to pay that shows lack of ambition. And I don't want Spurs to "act like a big club", I want us to act in a way that is apt and will not cause the club financial trouble. We are a big club. And like all the other big clubs that aren't backed by silly money a signing like this is very, very rare.
Ha! In my head I've always thought something like "Dam ow" but surely it should be more like "Dam ee ow".
Dam-ay-auw - the ã in Damião is a nasal vowel so should be spoken with a sort of elongated nasal twang to it...which makes you sound like Kenneth Williams trying to speak Spanish when you do it.
but that's what I'm getting at Lenny, they won't suffer. Just like Bolton didnt. a year to go, we made a bid... rejected. didn't follow it through. - chelsea come along 6 months later and they still got what they wanted pretty much for Cahill. we lost out. No one will let it go to free transfer with vertonghen. someone will pay the money. Maybe 12 mill is too expensive with 1 year left, but he's a good player who is sought after. they can ask want they want, within reason. lets be honest if we're all say here saying "**** it, just pay the 12, we need him", that's exactly why they feel the 12 mill isn't too high. I honestly don't think levy will get his own way on this one.
terrible name that is, but outstanding knowledge HBIC. Leandro is far better. - might even start calling him Lee.
Yep - you're probably right. Someone will pay a bunch of money for him by the looks of things. I just think that some of the calls about £12m for him being a no-brainer or peanuts is a little naive, especially when given the context of how it would make him the 5th most expensive CB ever (deciding not to count Rio twice to emphasise my point now). I think there might be a little bit of Championship manager thinking that's creeping in with some people. Anyway I have no idea how good he is - never seen him play but I like what he's saying: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/s...pects-spurs-to-be-priced-out-of-deal?cc=5739# Seems like he wants to put pressure on Spurs but also (gently and with a bit of respect) being firm with Ajax too.
I think that Lescott and Phil Jones both cost over 15million, but it is still a very short list and though I think he would a good signing (better than Cahill in my opinion) you know that Levy will want to pay the lowest amount he can.
Oh yeah - Lescott. How'd I miss him? Ruled out Jones as he's not a 100% CB. Bit naughty, I know but I'd already decided to omit full-backs to help my argument!
