Hazard Watch: French 'Sources' Have Lille Star Spurs-Bound
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:16 PM GMT
in Chelsea FC: Transfer Rumours & News
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Is Eden Hazard bound for Tottenham Hotspur? A rumour to that effect is making the rounds today, and although I don't believe it in the slightest, it's worth commenting on:
Désireux de rejoindre la Premier League en fin de saison, Eden Hazard a jeté son dévolu sur Tottenham. Selon nos informations, l'international belge de 21 ans s'est mis d'accord avec le club londonien, qui correspond à ses aspirations, puisqu'il participera sans doute à la prochaine Ligue des champions.
Hitting the Google Translate machine gives us:
Wishing to join the Premier League end of season, Eden Hazard has set his sights on Tottenham. Reportedly, the Belgian international has 21 years of age agreed with the London club, which meets their aspirations, since it probably will participate in the next Champions League.
Apparently people believe this, which is amazing. Tottenham, right now, are in fine shape. They're an exciting team, well positioned to finish 3rd in the league, and they could probably do with a talent like Eden Hazard. However, they're also so cash-strapped that they were reduced to 'buying' Louis Saha in the January window while the likes of Papiss Cisse were in play. They've needed a big striker for years and have never managed to shell out for one.
While it might be argued that Spurs could possibly pay Lille the transfer fee Hazard would command thanks to their Champions League revenue for the upcoming season, we're still lacking the motivation for Hazard to actually want to go to Spurs. The fact of the matter is that although footballers talk up certain factors when making transfers, the primary driving force is almost always money - everything else comes second.
Bearing that in mind is always helpful in assessing transfer rumours, and when you look at Tottenham's wage structure they (like Arsenal) still look like a team unable to command a real position in the market for big-name stars. This sounds completely bogus to me.
PS: I guess the headline could also read 'Spurs reportedly tap up Eden Hazard'.
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hahahaha
I don’t believe it for a second…. They can’t even negotiate personal terms right now. What’s the point in leaking this now if it is true? Right after the window closes?
I have no idea how people refuse to take common sense into account when dealing with transfer rumours
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:34 PM GMT up reply actions
Honestly if it is true I would Applaud Hazard
He’s clearly chosen quality football over financial security…. No Agent on the planet would advise his client to do so though so I HIGHLY doubt Eden has made that decision.
I think choosing quality football over financial security is silly
Money is more important than football!
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:46 PM GMT up reply actions
I don't think it makes that big a difference
whether you earn 80,000 a week or 180,000 a week, you’re rich either way!Hazard has enough talent to know he will never have to worry about money unless he gets a terrible injury or goes crazy spending!
by conorjmartin on Feb 14, 2012 12:37 AM GMT up reply actions
What are you talking about?
the average span of a professional footballers career is about 10 yrs they have that long to make as much as they can. You don’t take less than that just because you make enough! Absurd….
I guess some people may think differently on this matter!
Fact is if you’re on 80,000 a week you earn more in 1 year, never mind 10-15 years,than even the majority of high earners in the general population will earn in a lifetime! Basically the point I was making in replying to the comment above was that financial security won’t be a problem for Hazard regardless of who he ends up playing for, he is never going to struggle to put food on the table or pay the bills on the sort of wages Spurs could offer. That in my opinion puts him in a position where he can consider other issues such as Champions league football or playing style rather than just going for the big pay packet. However I am assuming here that Hazard is not greedy and thinks of other things as being more important than money. Besides I think that if you are so greedy that you would be unhappy with the wages that Spurs could offer then you are unlikely to ever find a pay level that would make you happy as nothing is ever enough for the greedy man!
by conorjmartin on Feb 14, 2012 1:47 AM GMT up reply actions
money always matters..
always.
not a great thing but definitely a fact
by Jimm Bmore on Feb 14, 2012 1:54 AM GMT via Android app up reply actions
A rather depressing fact if you ask me!
I can certainly see why a 50% increase in pay for somebody on an average wage would be a great thing and of much importance to them, could even be considered life changing. It just sickens me to see already very wealthy people placing such importance on such gains, its not as if it is going to change their lifestyle in the slightest!That’s one of the many things I like about Mata, he is certainly not poorly paid but he could also have held out for much more than he got. He is our best player yet probably one of the lowest earners in the team!
by conorjmartin on Feb 14, 2012 2:03 AM GMT up reply actions
Whether or not he's able to put food on the table is a moot point
Its about maximizing your earning potential and getting precisely what you deem to be your worth. If you look at it like this it may make more sense: McDonald’s employee earns 7.50/hr Wendy’s pays 8.50/hr where would you work?
Yes, 80,000 a week for one year is enough to support you for life
But not your entire family. You take the most money so you can buy your mom a house and send your nieces and nephews and great grandchildren to great schools. This isn’t a tough concept man.
SB Nation's World Soccer Editor, manager of Cartilage Free Captain, contributor to Acme Packing Company.
by Kevin McCauley on Feb 14, 2012 2:28 AM GMT up reply actions
Damn
I’d take 80k a YEAR right now, never mind per week. And I mean US dollars (I might pee myself if I converted that to pounds). How the hell was I blessed with being a female and injury prone? That is a double-whammy of “guaranteed never to make money as an athlete”. Ah well… suppose we all get the cards we’re dealt. :)
So would I
But I’m not a world class footballer. I write about football. People who write about football generally make less than 80k a year, so I would be more than happy to take that much money. World class footballers make more than that in a week, so Hazard should not be happy to take less than that. His services are in demand and generate millions of dollars in revenue per year.
SB Nation's World Soccer Editor, manager of Cartilage Free Captain, contributor to Acme Packing Company.
by Kevin McCauley on Feb 14, 2012 2:37 AM GMT up reply actions
Ha
I wasn’t arguing as much about what a footballer should or shouldnt take… as much as I was just commenting that I’d love that much money even in a much different timeframe. Figured I’d throw that one out there in the event the universe is listening. :)
Now… if world class players are supposed to make more, we need to renegotiate Mata’s contract and be fair that he is certainly the best player on our squad right now. In fact, I hope that the other guys are paying him a chunk of their salaries in order to keep him happy and around. It’s only fair, haha.
I suppose you're right!
I hadn’t considered the idea of paying for the lives of his entire extended family!Still don’t like the idea of money being the be all and end all in a players decision on what club to play for!
by conorjmartin on Feb 14, 2012 8:46 PM GMT up reply actions
Obviously no one needs £80,000 a week
And definitely £180,000 is more than you need. But at the end of the day any human being would rather earn twice their wage than not.
Regarding Spurs' financial situation
They can't afford the 33m GBP buyout clause?
Tor ilisar'thera'nal!
Not me...
I like Hazard but I also like Moura, Gotze, Willian… If we don’t get Hazard we’ll get one or maybe two of them… Add to that DeBruyne, Sturridge, Mata and a Central Striker like Cavani and you can see why I really don’t care who we get so long as we get a couple of them.
Having said that I find this story extremely far fetched… a pathetic attempt to sell papers.
Wow....
PhilippeAuclair Philippe Auclair
Hazard on Belgian television (RTBF), moments ago: ‘Maybe I’ll go to Tottenham. It’s a great English club. I said I would go to England’.
He's said that about six different teams now
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:50 PM GMT up reply actions
This is moments after the supposed leak!
There has to be something to that…
Fair enough.
a no comment would’ve been apropos. Why speculate on a rumour about the future you haven’t decided on?
He's sticking to the exact same line he always has
Tottenham are one of the six teams he might join. He’s said that for a while.
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:57 PM GMT up reply actions
With all of Tottenham's money that they don't have?
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:53 PM GMT up reply actions
I hear you but man...
What if they sell Bale to Barça?
Then they won't have Bale
They also would have to destroy their wage structure to land Hazard
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 7:56 PM GMT up reply actions
Who knows what his demands are.
He could be the first guy to bunk salary for quality of football… Again its a stretch but man this is the first real sign that he may not be coming here.
Like I said we have other options so its not a complete loss just means we have to pony up large to get a couple of these other guys
If we do finish top 4 I could see this happening...
Not the end of the world we’ll get someone
Robin Bairner (french football editor) has dismissed the Eden Hazard to Spurs story.
He says it’s ‘just a report’. #afc #thfc
RE Spurs finance
Spurs DO have the money for him. The problem is we’re penny-pinching so they can fund a new stadium to further increase their revenue. Just look at any football money league and you’ll see Tottenham in 10th – 14th. I’m not sure I can see us forking out £33m for a winger though.
If Spurs are penny-pinching for a new stadium, they don't really have the money for him
I mean, hypothetically Arsenal can spend big as well. They just don’t.
by Graham MacAree on Feb 13, 2012 8:05 PM GMT up reply actions
Even if they do why address the wing when you have a need for a striker?
Bale and Lennon have been deadly and Saha is good but not exactly the guy you want leading your line week in week out and in CL….
I just smell bullshit.
Lennon has been far from deadly
He’s the weakest link in the first XI right now. Hazard makes a lot of sense from that perspective.
Also, I don’t think Spurs are cash strapped at all. We “bought” Saha because it was prudent moneywise (and you can’t argue with the early returns). Levy is just picky as a mofo and does not compromise. Also, remember Spurs did just have a bid of 19 mil or so for Loic Remy rejected. They’re willing to spend for the right pieces. The wage ceiling is a much bigger issue than not having transfer funds.
That said, this is probably bogus, and I wish I’d never heard it because otherwise I never would have dreamed of having Hazard on Spurs! (Sorry, didn’t come to troll or anything, just Google News searched him and this post was literally the first result)
Lennon has been fine!
There is no need for a high priced winger when you don’t a have CF of any real quality. I like Saha but he’s not the answer at all… If the Spurs do finally pony up and buy a player in the area of £33M they would do well to get a goal scorer not another playmaker which they have plenty of.
I believe its bogus too there is no way Hazard makes a decision like that right after the window closes makes no sense… especially when you can’t negotiate personal terms. Also I doubt the Spurs will be able to meet his wage demands, we all know about the Modric deal.
... he really hasn't been, though.
I mean, OK, he’s been “fine”. But most Spurs fans would agree he’s the worst of the regular starters (Walker is the other possibility, but he seems to still be improving, while Lennon seems to have plateaued). That pace is still nice, and every now and again he sends in a decent cross, but he doesn’t combine particularly well with Modric and VDV, and his pace is somewhat redundant playing in front of Walker. Lennon goes long stretches without having any impact.
Saha isn’t a starter right now unless someone’s hurt. He’s a perfectly reasonable 3rd striker. Replacing Adebayor is something that will have to be dealt with in the offseason, but there’s no rule that says you can’t upgrade another position until you replace an outgoing player (well, probably outgoing, unless he for some reason agrees to cut his wages by 60%). I appreciate your suggestions on what Spurs would do well to do, but Hazard certainly makes sense, whether you like it or not.
The Modric deal… you mean the one to Chelsea that didn’t go through? Yes, I know all about that. Jokes aside, the wage ceiling is a real issue, no doubt, but we do actually have some world class players on the team despite it, so it’s not necessarily an insurmountable obstacle.
We are all agreed though, that this is a silly rumor at a silly time to spreading them, so we shall see what summer brings with it when it arrives.
Well hey if you want your team to be stupid about the already tight financial situation than by all means...
Its clear a striker is the way to go if they do decide to pay more than they ever had in the past for a player. I’m not going to argue with you Hazard is a welcome addition to any squad that much is for certain. On a squad that is on the verge of being one of Europe’s better teams I think it makes more sense to spread the cash(if there is any) around and get a guy who can address the only real glaring hole the squad has No STRIKER…
The wage issue is a huge deal when you consider that other teams who can afford to meet his wage demands will be in for him too. we’re talking about £30,000 per week difference in all likelihood. No agent will EVER EVER advise his client to take such a significant amount less.
Correct me if I'm wrong
Are Spurs not in a much healthier financial position than Chelsea?Sure Chelsea can pay bigger fees and wages but they also run up enormous losses every year and that can’t continue with FFP! Spurs on the other hand are a well run club that works within its means, they are not under any pressure to comply with FFP as far as I know. Fact is Chelsea are looking more likely to be outside the top 4 than inside at the minute and if they can’t qualify for the Champions League I am struggling to see how they can afford Hazard (along with the other necessary recruitments) and still comply with FFP!
by conorjmartin on Feb 14, 2012 12:58 AM GMT up reply actions
Not come this summer...
Also the Spurs have a smaller stadium and are far from a global entity. They are building the right way but are not in Europe’s elite level clubs.
That aside I don’t think Hazard comes here if we’re not playing CL football. I also don’t think if all things are equal and we’re offering CL and say £30,000 more than the Spurs that he will chose to go there!
We'd be relatively screwed if we didn't make the Champions League, yes
Although it’s not something I’m particularly concerned about at this point – We’re still there or there abouts and we’ve been struggling pretty heavily with injuries. Traditionally we go in for the strong finishes, so I’d still say at this point we’re more likely to make the top 4 than not (incidentally, I haven’t written off catching Tottenham for 3rd just yet).
As for FFP, we’re doing pretty damn well, thanks. We post pretty large losses, but most of that can be discounted because most of our big contracts were signed before the cutoff. We also seem to be moving in the right direction with regards to spending within our means (Torres aside – and I’m hoping Roman has learned his lesson about that one, although time will tell)
Spurs FFP numbers look better than Chelsea's
That’s largely due to the fact that they are not in as healthy a financial situation as Chelsea and can’t afford to flirt with compliance. Chelsea as a club have no debt, something only Man CIty in the Premier League can also say.
by Stephen Schmidt on Feb 14, 2012 3:03 PM GMT up reply actions
I find it rich that a Chelsea fan would give lectures about disciplined spending.
If Spurs lose Adebayor, they’ll certainly have a need up front. But they’ve built one of the best teams in England without breaking the bank. If they choose to do so on Hazard, I see no reason why they couldn’t fill the need up front with a more budget conscious choice.
I don’t understand why you think a club must address its biggest need first. That’s not the way it always works, even if it seems tidiest.
Rumor or not, Ivanovic is not taking it well...
by CareFreeChronic on Feb 13, 2012 8:10 PM GMT reply actions
I think this is even less likely than Hazard going to Arsenal
While the club will certainly be a step up from Lille, I can’t see them meeting his valuation or wage demands. They’re probably going to have to give several current players a raise if they want to keep them, and Ade almost certainly will need to be replaced. This one just strikes me as Hazard’s camp including the one club in the “Sky Six” that they forgot to mention this past January.
by Stephen Schmidt on Feb 13, 2012 9:53 PM GMT reply actions
I wouldn't blame him
if he caught Saturday’s performance ;) Just kidding! That would be all the more reason to come… he’s guaranteed playing time. Teehee!
I love that as soon as the window closes, people are already starting the rumor mill on the next window, with visions of closed deals happening on Feb 1 and waiting for that future summer day to come out.
Link???
All I have is him on Belgian tv adding fuel to the claims….
"I have not signed anything yet. It will happen soon," he added.
Hopefully he will sign for us, COME ON EDEN.
ha harry knows about the 33 million clause........ don't say i told you so, but i told you so
Everybody stutters one way or the other
So check out my message to you.
As a matter of fact don't let nothin' hold you back.
If the Scatman can do it brother so can you.
Yo I'm the Scatman.
Here's how it went:
Reporter: Would you go to Tottenham?
Hazard: Why not?
Cue pointless media speculation.
He also said Kranjcar's name! :cO
I don't even know what to put in here knowing Steve can just change it anytime he wants (the jerk) :cP also something about trolling CFC and WAGNH
by Sabrina Dessipe on Feb 14, 2012 12:29 PM GMT up reply actions
Gareth BALE
We’ve already established the Tottenham aren’t rolling in it, so why wold they spend all that money, (given Hazard is worth it), when they still have Bale on the team sheet?
I was watching Hazard on RTBF on tv yesterday
What I took from it is that he would go to Tottenham if they came knocking.
But he didn’t say Tottenham was his absolute place to be. He just said he respects the club and thinks they have good players.
He said he definitely wants to go to England, because he feels every game is a big game there and there’s lots of atmosphere and things to learn for him and so on. He said he prefers it to Spain where it’s a lot harder to break through and win titles, seeing as how it’s either Real or Barcelona that wins them.
So really whta I gathered is that he wants to go to England and wants to play Champions league. As such, Tottenham is a possibility he would accept but it doesn’t mean he would rule out Chelsea/Arsenal
Spurs can't hack it
Tottenham seems a paper tiger in this hunt. They’d be daft to cash in on Bale just to finance Hazard. The two could definitely function together, but not with Tottenham’s wage structure. I must believe Chelsea’s still in good position, but securing a 4th place finish is a must, even beyond this pursuit. Hopefully the return of Drogs & Kalou (!?) can shake this complacent side. The dream of a Mata-Hazard midfield lives on!
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