Liverpool have finally managed to secure the deal for lifelong dipper, Robbie Keane. As the transfer was looking more and more likely to be completed, I questioned the behaviour of Tottenham Hotspur chairman, Daniel Levy, who just a week before accused Liverpool of being ‘disgraceful’ and ‘arrogant’.
United, like Liverpool, were reported to the Premier League by Levy with accusations of tapping up Spurs’ players. However, Spurs have taken £19 million for Robbie Keane and are probably hoping they can get the ridiculous £38 million asking price for Berbatov.
Sir Alex Ferguson needs to take note if he is serious about Berbatov (as he obviously cannot be serious about Thierry Henry!) and bribe Spurs in a similar fashion to Liverpool!
“They have apologised and agreed to make a donation to our club’s main charity,” said Levy today. “Tottenham has therefore agreed not to pursue its official complaint to the Premier League.”
It has been reported that Liverpool have parted with a sizeable amount of cash, sending it to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, as a ‘good will gesture’. There is also the possibility of a further £1.3 million being paid in ‘additional compensation’.
Berbatov travelled to Norwich with Spurs this week, although was not included in the squad. It is puzzling to think how Berbatov and the club can come back from this situation. The London club are playing a risky game. United won the league and European Cup without an out and out striker last season, so it’s not out of the question that we can achieve great things without Berbatov. However, Spurs are facing the possibility of keeping a player who doesn’t want to be there, and one who isn’t shy on letting his feelings of discontent be known! More recent reports suggest that Berbatov has been fined £40,000 by Spurs’ very own tapped up boss, Juande Ramos, for having a poor attitude in the pre-season, attributed to his desire to leave.
No one knows what is in this dossier that Levy has submitted to the Premier League, although there are claims there is far more to it than the quotes in The Sun that got his knickers in a twist. However, Fergie has greater options now if he knows we have been guilty of tapping up.
With Liverpool essentially admitting to tapping up Keane with their charity donation and agreement to possible extra compensation, it shows it wouldn’t be too difficult to get ourselves in the clear if we are guilty. However, football is in a rather sad state if clubs are happy to be paid off in this way, rather than make the guilty parties pay the real price of a guilty verdict from the Premier League.
So, what’s the solution here? Maybe it’s time we chucked a bit of money in the Spurs’ Foundation direction, and see if it has a similar effect on Levy’s decision to sell.
Man Utd News 24/7
Maybe so. Within a week tabloids will drum up some crappy story for man utd not donating to their foundation and do their usual tricks in making us look evil.
Take it or leave it ! Forget about this “compensation” crap. If Levy/Spurs think that UTD are so desperate then they have another think coming – after all, didn’t UTD win both the EPL and the CL without Mr Berbatov. Sure his presence would add options but he is hardly a necessary requirement. And, of course, he’s a rather less attractive alternative strker than Karim Benzema. It UTD are going to spend lavishly then Benzema – not Berbatov – is the target; if SAF is looking to add quality and depth to his first-team squad then Berbatov is a very, very good signing.
Is Mr Levy running some sort of protection racket?
“Nice club…shame if it got reported to the Premier League, eh.”
“What’s this, a couple of million quid? Oh very generous, sir. Tapping up? Oh no sir, I think you must have heard me wrong.”
I hope and pray SAF wont fall into Spurs little game again. A penny more than 25 mil would be absolute robbery. If United sign him, great, the goals will come in buckets. If they are demanding 30, then i hope to God we say Fuck it and move on to bigger and better things.
And of course, Ill start doing a rain dance to ensure Saha can stay fit through October.
And as someone said above, I would much much much rather put that kind of cash into Benzema or Aguerro.
but why, why do we need berba, 27 yr old cry baby? he reminds me of rvn in all the right and wrong ways!!
It’s quite nice looking back at Ruud’s pre-season and subsequent seasons after that. He was such a top-quality player and only in the very end caused problems in our squad.
If Berba does join us, he’ll have no reason to moan when Rooney and Tevez are picked in front of him. It’s slightly different than Bent and Defoe, I must say.
We could do with that arrogance in a good way and I think United are too big a club for Berbatov to actually throw his toys out. He’ll be humbled and amazed I’m sure.
He is a great, proven goal scorer, he’s quick and has a lot of creative energy. That’s why we want him and that’ll keep our Beautiful game looking so good.
get berba in, quick!