Redknapp Would Drop €40 Million On This Striker

[mawspurs]

Source: Transfer Tavern

Croatian footballing press or at least Sportskenovosti.com are saying Tottenham are very much in for Wolfsburg’s finest, Edin Dzeko.

And that Harry Redknapp would not regret 40 million euro investment that might be required to secure the player …’Several times I watched Edin and he is striker and a player that makes a difference. €40 million? We can reach that by selling some players…I think that the money sought by Wolfsburg would not be thrown to the wind’, said Redknapp

They also add that in a season that has seen Tottenham enter the Champions League, leastwise playing the qualifiers Spurs will be forced to improve quality and strengthen this season’s team. Currently, the main priorities of the Spurs coach are Chelsea player Joe Cole and Edin Dzeko, say the Croatian site.

[Boxset Dan]

I doubt the source but like the speculation. Two players which I have alot of hope pinned on us signing.

[Dr Know]

As much as I would love for us to sign Dzeko £23M would be the most I would like us to spend. I think the more money players go for the harder it is for them to perform as they might have the constant feeling that they have to prove their fee

[nferno]

i cudnt give a flying fuck if we payed 50M for him, he would absolutely demolish every defence in england and most in CL with lennon, bale and modric for assists.

[Boxset Dan]

haha a bit optimistic maybe nferno! I would happily splash around the 40m mentioned for him though if needed. Great striker and exactly what I feel we need.

[nferno]

haha a bit optimistic maybe nferno!

someone has to be :grin:

[StokeSpur]

For that kind of money he really needs to work on his celebration ;-)

[samways]

I doubt the source but like the speculation. Two players which I have alot of hope pinned on us signing.
Me too- would be a great option to have Cole in midfield as he can play anywhere there comfortably and I think Dzeco could well be our next Berbatov.....hopefully without turning out to be a complete nob tho.

I read on here before that there seems to be a few people that thinkwe dont need to sign a star striker-WRONG!! All our strikers are very very good/excellent but they are not game turning, something out of nothing, win it on their own,guaranteed 20+ prem goals a season players.

For next season we need a Dzeco/Suarez/Aguilaro(spelling)/Villa type player-even in the CL qualifiers the jump in class will be dramatic let alone the competition proper, and anyone who thinks a season like last season will get us top four again are much mistaken in my opinion

[camaj]

I think we'd be better off spending large amounts of money on a proven talent who will stay at the club long-term, rather than the current scattergun approach we've had in recent years. Why buy 3 players for £30m combined who don't take us up a level, then sell them a season or two later, when we can buy a single player who can stay 3 or 4 seasons for the same price and would be worth more points? Of course we don't know if someone would live up to their pricetag but my point is we should be signing proven talent, in spite of the price tag.

[davidmatzdorf]

I think we'd be better off spending large amounts of money on a proven talent who will stay at the club long-term, rather than the current scattergun approach we've had in recent years. Why buy 3 players for £30m combined who don't take us up a level, then sell them a season or two later, when we can buy a single player who can stay 3 or 4 seasons for the same price and would be worth more points? Of course we don't know if someone would live up to their pricetag but my point is we should be signing proven talent, in spite of the price tag.

Well, that's the difference between finishing 4th and 5th. When we can't offer a CL qualifier, we have to take risks on promising, but not established star players - like Berbatov. Now we can talk to someone like Dzeko and get listened to.

What was appropriate last Summer is not what we need now. We just need 1 or 2 major players, plus a backup goalkeeper. Unless key players want leave, there's simply no point in buying players who duplicate what we already have.

[JoeT]

Because 'camaj' sometimes one or two of those "3 players for 30 mill. combined" with good coaching, turn out to be exceptionally good footballers; a large part of our current squad is built of such players...but you are right in saying that sure some don't develop, and thus are sold on.
As far as your buying "proven talent" point goes; you are right again, but that is precisely what the club intends doing for next season.

[glenda]

Balotelli 15mil Hutterlar 15 mil.

[DC_Boy]

-even in the CL qualifiers the jump in class will be dramatic let alone the competition proper, and anyone who thinks a season like last season will get us top four again are much mistaken in my opinion

are you sure? - what if we draw young boys of Berne or celtic or braga for example

last time we played braga we beat them home and away IIRC

the reason we're seeded in the CL play off stage is UEFA ranks us higher than all these teams and indeed all of the others that we might meet - AFAIK -

so how they can be a jump in class?

at a guess, any of the top 8 in the prem are better than/or on the same level as most of the CL teams that compete from the 1st qualifying round onwards

there's an elite in the CL of course, but we won't be facing in the play off stage

[millsey]

i cant tell you how good this guy is.would take us to new level

[KenilworthSpur]

Go get him Harry. 40M would really show the rest of Europe that we mean business.

We can get 20M+ back straight away on unwanted/needed players (Keane,Jenas,O'Hara, Hutton & GDS)

[striebs]

Would he play in a partnership or invidually like Anelka and Drogba ?

If in a partnership who do we have who would be good enough to play alongside him , Keane if he's recovered form ?

A player of this Calibre might just keep us in a CL position ahead of Manchester City .

[Chedozie]

As much as I would love for us to sign Dzeko £23M would be the most I would like us to spend. I think the more money players go for the harder it is for them to perform as they might have the constant feeling that they have to prove their fee


Why £23? This guy looks like an improvement on what we have, we have to improve, all the other teams will.

We currently don't have a marquee striker, good ones but no one top draw, this guy could make the difference to us. With a 30 goal striker we could compete for the league title.

A player like this one also means we could play 4-5-1 which we might need. Levy can handle what we can and can't afford,if we get the chance to sign a top striker be it this guy or someone else we should take it, be it £23 million or £40.

[hybridsoldier]

Like I said before, I saw him v Fulham and he was average, against Man U he did well but he doesnt look a £30m+ player, to be fair tho you look around there are not many players that look that value anymore.

Id gladly drop the same money on Vucinic

[gloryglory]

We need to take advantage of 4th to buy one or two worldbeaters while we can - that is (sadly) our only chance of retaining our top 4 position as Man City and Liverpool doubtless improve. A few more players of promise will not improve our team (although that is not an argument against buying them for their long-term potential).

And a top striker is the number 1 priority. The difference between us and the top 2 is now only that we lack a Rooney or Drogba - and without them we are stuck forever in 4-4-2. Imagine going to the Nou Camp or to Inter with 2 in the middle - we'd be creamed - but there is nobody in our squad who can play sole striker and be a goal threat.

I have never been a fan of buying big name stars at the peak of their value, and Daniel levy's approach, which I have long supported, has been validated - but now is the moment for a statement of intent. And I suspect Levy knows it.

PS Credit at this stage in our history should also go to Frank Arnesen for devising the strategy that got it here, and the much derided Damiano Comolli for continuing its development. As exhibits for the defence of my theory, I give you Arnesen's signing of Dawson, Huddlestone and Lennon for less than £10 million combined, and for Comolli I give you Bale, Modric and Gomes - hardly unknowns, maybe, but we didn't know they'd be this good. Bring the man back as a scout, I say!

[aws_young]

We do need a better striker and Dzeko fits the bill. There is no reason to suggest he can't get 20+ goals a season and at only 24 years old age he is just going to get better.

Get him in, another CB or LB (with Bale moving AML) and I can't see why we can't compete in the CL.
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[Yidoinoz]

We need a world class striker because our strikers really have not been at their best despite the rest of the team being awesome.

Defoe had a poor finish to season
Crouch is a great player for the bench
EG not going to win us the league
Pav got lucky for first 4 games, everything he kicked went in
Keane had a poor season when at spurs.

Strikers
Out - Pav
EG (maybe keep for CL no sure)

In - Keane & Worl Class striker

The rest
Out
O'hara
Jenas

In - Sandro & Cole

[JimmyG2]

I think that getting in a top class striker will expose the limitations of both Crouch and Defoe.
Of our current strikers only Pavlyuchenko and Gudjohnsen have the class to compare with say Dzeko or whoever. Pavlyuchenko may have got lucky scoring eight goals in ten games, some luck incidently, but he works better with other players than Defoe and Crouch. He is still our most effective striker in terms of goals scored/per minutes played(1/123)ahead of Defoe and out of sight from Crouch.

Gudjohnsen is a useful option but his future has age limitations. We need to continue to develop the squad we have with one or two top level additions , especially a striker that can give us the 451 option.

I see that Comolli is being re-habilitated; another 'reject' that has since proved better than many thought. Another Bale,Gomes, Kaboul, Ekotto resurrection.

And it looks as if Palacios is not a big upgrade on the much maligned Zokora.
He couldn't shoot or pass either and his tackling was a bit wild but at least he had pace and could play full back and centre half when required.

[Scutch]

I'm still doubting whether Harry actually said these things, but I'd be very, very pleased with Dzeko on board. It would certainly signal our intent, even if it does empty our wallet.

[mattyspurs]

I'm still doubting whether Harry actually said these things, but I'd be very, very pleased with Dzeko on board. It would certainly signal our intent, even if it does empty our wallet.

I agree with you Scutch.

I doesn't sound very Harry like at all. Plus, I know he likes to talk, but I don't think that i've ever heard him throw figures around.

But yes, I would like him alot, but I think he is out of our reach.

[Chedozie]

I think that getting in a top class striker will expose the limitations of both Crouch and Defoe.
Of our current strikers only Pavlyuchenko and Gudjohnsen have the class to compare with say Dzeko or whoever. Pavlyuchenko may have got lucky scoring eight goals in ten games, some luck incidently, but he works better with other players than Defoe and Crouch. He is still our most effective striker in terms of goals scored/per minutes played(1/123)ahead of Defoe and out of sight from Crouch.

Gudjohnsen is a useful option but his future has age limitations. We need to continue to develop the squad we have with one or two top level additions , especially a striker that can give us the 451 option.

I see that Comolli is being re-habilitated; another 'reject' that has since proved better than many thought. Another Bale,Gomes, Kaboul, Ekotto resurrection.

And it looks as if Palacios is not a big upgrade on the much maligned Zokora.
He couldn't shoot or pass either and his tackling was a bit wild but at least he had pace and could play full back and centre half when required.


I agree with your points on our strikers, while they make effective partnerships none can play a lone strikers role.

But i can't agree that Palacios is no better than Zokora, true that Palacios doesn't shoot much, but he gives the ball to players that are better at shooting. Wilson has scored for us.

He was one of our best players in the first half of the season, his form did drop towards the end of the campaign, but this coincided with the death of his brother.

[Shirtfront]

If the Euro keeps crashing, then European players are getting cheaper all the time, and their Sterling salary getting higher. Just a thought.

[Shirtfront]

I think that getting in a top class striker will expose the limitations of both Crouch and Defoe.
Of our current strikers only Pavlyuchenko and Gudjohnsen have the class to compare with say Dzeko or whoever. Pavlyuchenko may have got lucky scoring eight goals in ten games, some luck incidently, but he works better with other players than Defoe and Crouch. He is still our most effective striker in terms of goals scored/per minutes played(1/123)ahead of Defoe and out of sight from Crouch.

Gudjohnsen is a useful option but his future has age limitations. We need to continue to develop the squad we have with one or two top level additions , especially a striker that can give us the 451 option.

I see that Comolli is being re-habilitated; another 'reject' that has since proved better than many thought. Another Bale,Gomes, Kaboul, Ekotto resurrection.

And it looks as if Palacios is not a big upgrade on the much maligned Zokora.
He couldn't shoot or pass either and his tackling was a bit wild but at least he had pace and could play full back and centre half when required.

I don't think I could disagree with you more if you put on a Wenger wig, a red and white shirt and said "Ssssshhhhh" a lot.

Defoe is a quality striker when his head is right. He needs to pull it in a bit. He is our leading scorer for a reason.

Pavlychenko is a great finisher but he does not work hard enough to lead the line alone or hold the ball up in a 4-4-2.

Crouch is Crouch. His value in the Champions League is illustrated by his record for England. International sides struggle with him.

Eidur should stay instead of Keane, who I have always supported but just feels like his heart isn't in the club any more; and that heart was key to his success for us.

To compare Zokora with Palacios, who I agree has suffered a dip in form, is quite simply ridiculous. I loved Zokora for his effort, but not only could he not pass or shoot, but neither could he tackle. Palacios wins the ball back better than any midfielder we have had at the club since probably Graham Roberts. His form until he found out about his brother was fantastic and turned our (relegation threatened) side around. I think his dip now is probably linked to the fact that he was running on adrenalin for a long time and things have crashed in on him a little now. Give him a rest and see him recover next season.

As for Comolli - pleeeeease. Arsenal let him go for a reason. We found out why. A good scout - maybe; a Director of football, never. (NB: We are the third highest spenders in the league in the last three years and it is only since he has left that we have seen any progress.)

[Dr Know]

Why £23? This guy looks like an improvement on what we have, we have to improve, all the other teams will.

We currently don't have a marquee striker, good ones but no one top draw, this guy could make the difference to us. With a 30 goal striker we could compete for the league title.

A player like this one also means we could play 4-5-1 which we might need. Levy can handle what we can and can't afford,if we get the chance to sign a top striker be it this guy or someone else we should take it, be it £23 million or £40.

£23m was just a "at most" figure. I do think he is worth more. The point I was trying to make was going on past "big money" signings they all seem to be labelled as flops now. As I said in a another thread the only 2 big money signings that have been worth the fee has been Tevez and Ronaldo.

[sly1]

I have no idea whether this is true or not, but for the people saying that it does not sound like Harry: if you mean you find it unlikely that he'd say anything about Dzeko at all if he was trying to sign him, fair enough. If you don't think it sounds like it's his style of speech, that's probably because his words have been translated into Croatian, with idioms likely replaced with a Croatian equivalent, then translated back to English literally.

[DEFchenkOE]

Yea the thing is only certain players seem to be able to handle being the centre of attention and big money buys. Especially if that player is the only big money buy and a lot of emphasis is put on that. Look at how City have spent £20m+ on quite a few players, like it's nothing. In a way I think those players will feel less pressure when there are other big money buys around them. Of course some players relish being the big money buy, Ronaldo at Real springs to mind. As much as I want Dzeko i'm very weary of paying that much as it only takes a few bad games or missed chances for the knives to be out, sometimes the players confidence can be affected and then there is no turning back, D Bent for example.

For €40m, being by far our most expensive signing ever, people will be expecting him to literally score every game.

[DefoeFan]

i cudnt give a flying fuck if we payed 50M for him, he would absolutely demolish every defence in england and most in CL with lennon, bale and modric for assists.

I agree, I'm getting a little miffed with people on here who think we can get world class players at reduced prices just because we can't afford them..

Get Realistic. If you want top players you Pay top prices. So saying things like, We shouldn't pay x for x, It's way too much.. Is basically nonsense.

[AnotherSpursFan]

Like I said before, I saw him v Fulham and he was average, against Man U he did well but he doesnt look a £30m+ player, to be fair tho you look around there are not many players that look that value anymore.

Id gladly drop the same money on Vucinic

I agree, he doesn't look special, pacy he is notstrong/powerful, doesn't look that part either.

[Dr Know]

I agree, I'm getting a little miffed with people on here who think we can get world class players at reduced prices just because we can't afford them..

Get Realistic. If you want top players you Pay top prices. So saying things like, We shouldn't pay x for x, It's way too much.. Is basically nonsense.


Well it depends on how you look at it. I just think big fees can affect players. I remember when the Berba to Man U rumours started and fans were saying he would be this that and the other with the supply from Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick and the other world class players they got but what happened there? We know he has the skill he's proved it! Could just be the big fee paid got to him and he bottled it? Whats happend to Benzema (sp), Kaka, Ibrahimovich (sp) even Diara? I'm not going to sit here and say I don't care how much we spend on a player because I have too much faith in Levy so I'm not worried about that but I just know what fans are like and if we spend £35m on a player god help him if he don't score in a match let alone not get 30 goals in his first season!

[nferno]

Well it depends on how you look at it. I just think big fees can affect players. I remember when the Berba to Man U rumours started and fans were saying he would be this that and the other with the supply from Ronaldo, Giggs, Carrick and the other world class players they got but what happened there? We know he has the skill he's proved it! Could just be the big fee paid got to him and he bottled it? Whats happend to Benzema (sp), Kaka, Ibrahimovich (sp) even Diara? I'm not going to sit here and say I don't care how much we spend on a player because I have too much faith in Levy so I'm not worried about that but I just know what fans are like and if we spend £35m on a player god help him if he don't score in a match let alone not get 30 goals in his first season!

theres always the "undisclosed fee" approach

[Dr Know]

theres always the "undisclosed fee" approach


Your 'avin a laugh m8. This is "can't keep my gob shut" 'Arry we're talking about here! :rofl:

On a serious note though the player would still know the fee and the pressure would still be there. I know nothing of Dzeko's attitude so I can't really say if he has the mental strength to cope. I guess its just a gamble but I'd rather take a £20m gamble than a £35m gamble.

[nferno]

Your 'avin a laugh m8. This is "can't keep my gob shut" 'Arry we're talking about here! :rofl:

On a serious note though the player would still know the fee and the pressure would still be there. I know nothing of Dzeko's attitude so I can't really say if he has the mental strength to cope. I guess its just a gamble but I'd rather take a £20m gamble than a £35m gamble.

worth a shot :razz:

[1882andallthat]

With the rate of the euro at the moment its closer to £35 million. Thats one hell of a gamble in tying up investments in one player especially if he were to pick up a long term injury in the first month of the season. Im sure Levy would want to see so outgoing sales to recoup that sort of outlay, so with that in min were the unfortunate to happen and he did pick up a long term injury and the shipping out of two to 4 decent squad players that leaves us a bit thin on making another go at a top 4 spot , domestic cup competitions and a decent go at the Champs League.

[tttcowan]

£35 MILLION QUID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:omg::omg::omg::omg::omg::omg::omg: :omg::omg::omg:

Im sorry, I know we've got champions league but £35 million!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!

Its a bloody fortune? Whats the british transfer record? Was it tevez??? £35 mill has got to be close anyway...

I'm suprised noone else on the board isnt completly shocked by this figure! If 'Arry wants him and Levy will pay then it gets my vote, but this really would be the story of the summer for the prem... I'd be suprised if any other team spends more on a single player...

Is he really that good? I don't know much about him. Is he really as good as 2 huntelaars?

[Khilari]

£40m?

insanity!

Despite CL status, we're

(a) unlikely to suddenly attract the world's most sought after - sure a better calibre but not necessarily to be able to compete with teams like Man Utd and

(b) Levy's hardly going to sanction spending like that on one asset. Having spent £16m as our current max, it seems unlikely for us to break the bank with £40m. Also, he'll be aware that CL money is almost negligible if we are knocked out in the Qualifiers like Everton were a few years back!! So spending such a huge sum on one player sounds like a risk too great. Especially as he's unproven in the EPL.

Not gonna happen for that price. I reckon we may push the boat out toward a £20m player perhaps.

[striebs]

£40m?
.....So spending such a huge sum on one player sounds like a risk too great. Especially as he's unproven in the EPL.


This is the key issue for me .

We should be buying players that consolidate our place in the Premiership .

Let the CL take care of itself .

[samsonlevi]

Let's go for it. I mean this is what we have been waiting for for 20-30 years atleast. If we don't take a gamble on trying to get to hat next step then what's the point o this season? Also people moaning about the amount of money... As long as we don't do a Leeds who cares? It's not our money... Is it?

[dontcallme]

I'm definitely torn on this issue. How many big money, big expectations buys do we have that become a success. Bent and Bentley were both 17m and Bentley was billed as the next Beckham. Huge pressure and attention meant everyone wanted immediate results and when they weren't delivered they were labelled flops.

Even with Man Utd and Chelsea this happens. Shevchenko was constantly labelled a flop (I know he was) while Drogba who didn't have a fantastic season despite the high fee seemed to receive more acceptance and time probably because he was lower profile at the time. Malouda was often being called a flop but wasn't getting as much attention as others and he has had the time to adjust his game to the league better and was one of the outstanding performers of last season.

So a 40m striker joining Spurs is going to be under huge scrutiny and even if he plays well he is going to be under pressure to be among the best as he cost 40m.

I'm not sure if it is the right way to go and buying players and blending them into the team at the right pace and without as much pressure seems to have a higher success rate than buying high proflie guys from abroad to a new league and expecting the earth in return.

[DC_Boy]

yep overall - i'd happily skip a £35m striker - but if we got one i'd trust harry and danny on that level of spend

there are so many alternatives out there i'm sure to complement crouch and defoe -

someone like doyle would be a great addition -

i'd love a superstar at the lane, but it ain't necessary

trouble is the lane is a difficult place to arrive at

if we get a superstar there's pressure one way, get a couple of 'journey men' like doyle/beckford/kenwyn jones whoever - could really help the squad but the crowd might take against them from the off as being not worthy

what we need is as a minimum is a player(s) with pace/power, a bit of both, summat like that - to help PC and JD, and pav too if he stays

good luck to harry and danny in their search

[JimmyG2]

tttcowan

I like the idea of two Huntelaars. But under league rules you could only play one at a time.
Mind you the second one could come on fresh at half time.

DC_ Boy

I am wary of big name signings especially when they are new to the club, the team and the Premiership.
Doyle has had a very good season playing up front and is an excellent call.
Who would he replace though? Most votes would go to Pavlyuchenko but I would rather it were Crouch. Keane is already gone I presume and Gudjohnsen only short term in any case.
Is he good enough for the next level I hear you all cry. Probably No bigger risk than a 'top name' at a tenth of the cost and Premiership proven doing a job that we need doing with some flair and application. And in a poorer team, even if they did beat us twice.
Not a prolific scorer but has a 1/3 career average.

[DC_Boy]

Hi jg2

thanks for the comments

re crouch - to me he's our best striker so he's not in danger

it's true doyle, if he did come, wouldn't be a natural companion to crouch - but I think we'd need another nippier faster type striker too

to me - we keep crouch and defoe - the rest are disposable - but only if we get others in of course