Berbatov Wants Out

[James17930]

Guess we've been naive to think he'd stay:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article633000.ece

[amathews3416]

Yep, I know some people think that the media is just trying to make a story here....but the writing is on the wall.

1. Direct quotes from Berba's agent stating he wants to leave. These quotes have appeared in multiple media outlets, so it's not like they have been fabricated.

2. Juande Ramos has publicly stated that he cannot make Berba stay. Why would Juande say this if he didn't know something was up?

3. People want to make a big deal about Levy's statements he recently made. First, he never specifically answered the Berba question. Second, Levy hasn't been the most trustworthy. Didn't he deny ever meeting w/ Ramos and that Jol was going to get sacked?

4. Berba wants to play for major cups. Bottom line is that we will be lucky to qualify for Europe next year. A player of Berba's class belongs in the Champions League. If not now, Berba will just leave in the summer. We need to cash in on him for as much as possible, why not after a 4 goal game?

These are just my reasons for why I think Berba is leaving. I may be totally wrong and I hope I am. If so, I will be the first to eat crow.....but it's not looking good.

[Hauler]

How messed up would that be if he pulled another Sol Campbell. I'm hoping that he would understand that that would create him as public enemy #1 but I mean what can we do. Just a couple of weeks ago he was saying he loves it here and now this. No wonder why he put in 4 goals just this weekend. Well I guess Defoe stays and now we are in the same situation we were in not to long ago. Any ideas of whom we can bring in to be that other tall striker in the mold?

[RaVeN_ReaL]

Everyone knew that this time will come sooner or later. In my opinion it's Better for him to leave now, don't get me wrong if it was up to me i would like it if he stays at Spurs and win trophies with Spurs, but for now this seems to be impossible. As his manager said he will be 27 in a month and he is hungry for trophies. So for him it would be best to change his team now so that he has time to adapt in the new club and be part of the first team when the new season starts.

I was pretty surprised to read for serious interest from 3 clubs, one English and two non-English...

But let's wait , only time will show!

[vasilli07]

It's from the Sun. :rolleyes:

2 days before the article, the agent stated that Berbs is happy at Tottenham. Read article below. Tell me which is real. :o

Berbatov And Bent Commit To Tottenham
Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent are both committed to staying at Tottenham Hotspur amid continuing speculation that they could leave during the winter transfer window.

The two strikers have both been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane in recent months, but have now moved to quash the stories and help the team win a trophy this term.

While Berbatov's future is a continuous source of speculation for the British media, the player's agent has reiterated that he wants to stay put.

"Dimitar is happy at Tottenham," said Emil Dantchev in a bid to fend off further stories linking his client with a move to Manchester United.

As for Bent, he has stated that he is willing to remain patient and work hard to earn a regular place in Juande Ramos' side as fortunes continue to rise at the north London outfit.

After joining Tottenham for £16.5m in the summer from Charlton Athletic the pressure has been on the forward to perform, but he has not had much chance to show what he can do.

Despite starting just seven games since his arrival, Bent is determined to prove the doubters wrong.

"People are always going to pick out someone who cost a lot of money and, so far, it's fair to say Tottenham haven't seen the best of me. But it's been only six months," he explained.

"Some people go on like I've been for two years and it simply hasn't worked. But it will work - and I will turn it around."

http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=529394

[Mort99]

If Berbs had played well at the beginning of the season instead of sulking his way through games and not warming up when Jol told him to then maybe we wouldn't be in such a predicament where he thinks we're underachieving - it's up to him to help us out not look for a move. He's contracted to us for a long time so if i was Levy i'd reject any offers under £25m and if Berbs decides to sulk, which he has a propensity to do, then he should play reserve football for a while.

The clubs need to show some muscle, you can't have one player's agent acting this way and engineering a move like this. That said, Levy doesn't know what the hell he's doing so he'll probably leave.

[sendorange]

Berba is going nowhere in January, that's even if he wanted a move, which is certainly not something he's demanded or made any public request for. He has repeatedly said that he is happy, but as usual after every good game the media want to stir things up and try to massage quotes.

When we finish this season, then will be the time for a review. There is no pressure in terms of contract unlike the Carrick situation as Berba is signed to 2010 with an option of 2 more years, no release clauses either.

[Mort99]

His agent has said he'd like to move. Either he wants to move or he should sack his agent. Personally i think he owes spurs a bit of effort, at least til the end of the season. He didn't play well at the start of the season which is one of the reasons we're in 12th. Also, spurs have given him the stage on which to showcase his talents, nobody really knew him while he was at leverkusen, certinaly none of the big clubs were interested in him then. So i think he should show some loyalty.

If he goes to Man Utd the Levy needs his head examined

[texgator]

When we finish this season, then will be the time for a review. There is no pressure in terms of contract unlike the Carrick situation as Berba is signed to 2010 with an option of 2 more years, no release clauses either.
While this is true, what's better.....$25 million next month, or a sulking "star" for 6 months and $15 million in the summer? Not to say that Berbs will go back to his quiet sulking if a move doesn't happen, but what his agent is saying in that Sun article does make a lot of sense. At 27 the guy probably is taking a look at his future and realizing he doesn't have that much time left to be the "man" on one of the really big clubs in Europe. He knows he isn't going to taste any big glory with Bulgaria....this is really it for him. Sure, taking Spurs to a top 4 spot would be a tremendous accomplishment, but that's still not really winning silverware, is it? I don't think there's a Spurs fan out there that would be happy to see him go, but there's a difference between "happy" and just plain good business and striking while the iron is hot. I wouldn't be devasted if he were sold for upwards of 25 million in January, as long as they can bring in someone else that can help. Berbs is special, he can't simply be replaced, and I don't think they can just find another one like him sitting around....but with 25 million at their disposal a lot of help can brought in to get us into the top 6 by season's end.

[texgator]

Also, spurs have given him the stage on which to showcase his talents, nobody really knew him while he was at leverkusen, certinaly none of the big clubs were interested in him then.
Didn't ManU show a lot of interest in him before Tottenham came in? I really don't think that was the case at all. Leverkusen were in the Champion's League a few times while he was there. He was being seen plenty.

[Yid_Army99]

well if he does leave i pray to God we cold bag Klaas Jan Huntelaar

[mattie g]

How messed up would that be if he pulled another Sol Campbell. I'm hoping that he would understand that that would create him as public enemy #1 but I mean what can we do.

Haluer - you need to be careful in comparing ANYONE to Sol Campbell. Read the history of what happened there and you'll understand. Spurs fans love Berbs and probably always will - we understand his quality and if he wants to go for reasons other than money than we can't completely fault him.

As for where the interest is coming from, all things being equal, it'd be obviously great of he went somewhere outside of England. The only place he'd go in England would be ManU, and I'd love if we were able to tell them to eff off - that we won't let our best players go to other teams within the league.

[Mr Tips]

Wind up/hit generating piece and nothing more. No way Berbs goes in January. Maybe at the end of the season if things end poorly (no Cups and no Europe), but I would think that Levy would have the common sense to send him out of England.

[electrickeeper]

well if he does leave i pray to God we cold bag Klaas Jan Huntelaar

I second this motion. Even though I think he was more of a "Jol target", maybe David Villa if we get enough from whoever buys Berbs.;)

Also, if we win the UEFA Cup (it will be hard, but certainly not impossible) who's to say that Dimitar will not be happy with that? I don't believe that he has won anything whilst at Leverkusen.

I really don't want my jersey curse to continue, if there's one thing that is a sure sign of a player leaving, it's me getting their name on my jersey (Davids, Mido, Rozental (Crew)), it's just bad news, and I'm sorry for putting Berbatov on my jersey. :p

[KHowe]

I would hope that even if Berba was thinking this, which I wouldn't completely blame him if he was, that he wouldn't have his agent come out with it in the press like this. By doing so, he is completely taking away our leverage in any deal negotiations. If the big four know that Berba wants to leave, then they won't be as inclined to offer anything of real value in return. As I said, I don't care if Berbatov wants to leave so long as we get equal value in return.

[James17930]

I don't think this is a wind-up piece. There are pretty specific quotes in there from his agent.

If he wants to go, I don't see how we can keep him. He'll just sulk for the rest of the season, as mentioned. I love the person who said to send him to the reserve squad if he does -- lol!

But yeah, if he goes, not to another English club. That would be heresy.

[electrickeeper]

What is Berbatov's £ value? I know we bought him for £11.5, I am guessing we wouldn't let him go for less than ~£20-25?

[greatbluekingly]

On Sky Sports today they were saying in the area of £25 million. I have to say, this thing is getting way out of hand--Sky seemed to treat what has so far appeared to be speculation as fact.

[mattie g]

I would hope that even if Berba was thinking this, which I wouldn't completely blame him if he was, that he wouldn't have his agent come out with it in the press like this. By doing so, he is completely taking away our leverage in any deal negotiations. If the big four know that Berba wants to leave, then they won't be as inclined to offer anything of real value in return. As I said, I don't care if Berbatov wants to leave so long as we get equal value in return.

I agree somewhat, KHowe, but the main issue in regards to leverage is that he's signed through 2010, with an option for two more years. If the biggest clubs want him, they want him *now* and not later. So if Milan and Real and ManU and Barca and whoever else want to come in for him, they don't have the leverage of his being out of contract next year. We're in a good spot in regards to his value, as we don't need to let him go in the immediate future, simply because we're not in any danger of losing him for free.

The above said, Berbs has also been nothing but class while he's been at The Lane. I don't see him going out and making public waves himself - he's on the record as saying he has an affinity for the fans and the club, and I don't think his "sulking" nature has anything to do with his being at Spurs, but rather with a frustration at not playing up to his own standards. Besides, he's incredibly humble and soft-apoken, so it'd be unlike him to go out and cause a public scene.

I do think he'll go if we get a ridiculous offer for him (at least £25 million), although I think we'd be more willing to sell for a bit less to a non-English team. And it's very possible an offer like that will be made. But if such an offer doesn't come up, I fully expect him to be in a Spurs shirt next season.

[pookspur]

i had really hoped we wouldn't have to deal with this until summer.

last summer, this kind of stuff was fairly effectively snuffed out by berba and the club both saying clearly that nothing's on. well, that's certainly not going to happen this time. i'm still hoping we can keep him until summer, and that maybe he'll help us pick up a cup or two. can't say that i'm wholly optimistic, though.