World Football Postulant

While Real Madrid has been making transfer headlines all summer, few have noticed that they have done little to improve their team.  In fact, it seems they have taken some steps backwards.  Now I agree Rafael van der Vaart is a great signing, but they’ve lost Wesley Sneijder to injury, have yet to get Fabio Cannavaro back, have an aging core, and are on the verge of losing Robinho.  Beyond that, you can ask if Casillas can play better than he did last year, or is it even reasonable to predict such performance?

Madrid is coming back to the pack.  The question is how much other teams have done to catch-up.  Barcelona has also been in the news all summer, but they made as many meaningful changes than Madrid.  Van der Vaart is going to play immediately and regularly for Real.  Is Alexander Hleb really going to unseat anybody in Barcelona’s lineup?  Doubtful.  Daniel Alves does, however, give them another dimension on the right, and he has a track record in La Liga.  Barça’s main issue is getting the talent they have playing to its potential.  As you can see to the right, I do believe that Pep Guardiola can so it.  At a minimum, he will instill a pride in performance - in the shirt the players are wearing - that will help resolve some of the inconsistencies we saw last season.

With apologies to Villareal, the other major title contender is Atletico Madrid.  They have made major improvements in goal prevention, bringing in Paulo Assuncao and Tomas Ujfalusi.  I love these signings and think Atletico can have on of the better defenses in La Liga.  Their strength and depth in midfield can help control matches against the slightly more talented teams, and the addition of Andre Sinnema Pongol should mitigate the effects of any regression by Diego Forlan.  If only one of them can help carry the load with Kun Aguero, this can be a historical season for the Atleti.

After the top five, I see a huge drop, and although my method ended up with Getafe in sixth and back in Europe, any team between sixth and fifteenth could end up qualifying for the UEFA Cup.  I don’t see much difference between Getafe and, say, Racing, who I’m picking at eleventh.  The things which will distinguish these clubs come May are those which I can not predict.

At the other end of the table, La Liga might have the most uninspiring set of promoted teams of all the league’s I’ve previewed.  This is the first of the six league’s I’ve looked at where I wonder how any of the three will stay up.  But, as I looked at some of the lower-table teams from last year, I did find one candidate that could make a promoted side’s season a success.  Osasuna, who finished seventeenth last season, took some positive steps forward and, as is often the case in these stories, were not as bad as they showed last season.  Recreativo, however, I wonder about.  I don’t see much to recommend them, and the regressions I see put them in a place where they should be worried.  They finished higher than they should have last season, the kind of fortunate you can not bet on from year-to-year.

One team everybody will be looking at after this summer’s European Chmapionships is Valencia.  The Davids (Villa and Silva) will continue to make the team dangerous, but as was the case last season, they will still have problems keeping the ball out of their own net.  Until they prove they can do that from game-to-game, they will continue to be a dangerous but inconsistent team, capable of winning shootouts while getting into too many.

In the end, I see this as the season Barcelona regains the crown.  I think they have done enough to mitigate their inconsistencies at the back to become the team that is most ready to take advantage of Real Madrid’s turn to mortality.  Guardiola will be hailed as a savior, and Joan Laporta may be vindicated.  Meanwhile, if these results come true, we may be left wondering who will replace Bernd Schuster and Ramon Calderon at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Contracts may not mean much in the footballing world, but the signing of them can send messages. When David Villa signed his contract with Valencia today, a deal with runs through 2014, the message was clear. Villa will not be moving before September 1.

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Two months of the Andrei Arshavin saga will end next weekend when the international transfer window closes, but unless Zenit St. Petersburg shows some new-found willingness to compromise their position, that window may as well be closed now, as it concerns Arshavin.

On the club’s web site, Zenit announced that they will not be selling Arshavin.  They were unable to come to an agreement with Tottenham, who the player and agent had zero’d in on as Arshavin’s best chance of moving this summer.  Wanting two weeks to replace the Russian Player of the Year, the inability to get the deal done today has Zenit convinced not to sell him.

Continue Reading »

We have been here before, various times this summer, but the extent to which this story is being picked-up this time makes me believe the transfer is now going to happen.  Sources which were previously suspicious in jittery in trying to break the news are now sober in their reports.  Dimitar Berbatov seems destined for Manchester United.  The current Tottenham striker will move to Old Trafford Wednesday or Thursday for a reported £25 million.

It seems United has had their eyes on Berbatov all summer and had been hoping Spurs’ asking price would come down. Now, this close to the start of the season (and the close of the transfer window), they are going to move to finalize the deal, paying slightly more than Liverpool paid for an equally effective Robbie Keane. Both Spurs and United seem to think Berbatov the better player, though Berbatov is more of a fit, need solution for a Red Devil club that has been playing for some time without a true target man.

Despite that need and their injury and availability issues, I doubt Manchester United is making a desperation buy here.  My gut feeling is that Manchester United has been prepared to pay this price all summer and only refrained from doing so in the hope that the number would come down.  With only a couple of weeks left to finalize deals, Alex Ferguson is not waiting any longer.

While it may not make their ideal XI much better, this deal does help United get from the season’s beginning to Cristiano Ronaldo’s return, where the drop-off in goal scoring could cost them the few points they will need to retain their title.  As tight as the Premiership stands to be, even those points contested at the season’s beginning will have a major effect on how the table looks in May.  With a somewhat difficult first two months on the fixture list, the addition of a Berbatov would be a big boost for Ferguson’s club.

It is a great price for Tottenham to get, though it locks them into Darren Bent, who - despite playing incredibly throughout the preseason - is coming off a terrible season.  Potential England call-up rumors aside, I do not see how Juande Ramos can possibly be comfortable with his strike force, should Berbatov leave.  Giovani Dos Santos will slot into the number 10 role and Bent plays high, but I doubt this is the strike force Ramos dreamed of at the summer’s onset.

There are not a lot of good stories about Tottenham getting another striker.  Twenty-five million pounds has a way of changing that, though.  With that kind of cash infusion, Ramos will quickly be able to find out if David Villa is really staying at Valencia or Zenit St. Petersburg is set on keeping Andrei Arshavin.

Of course, the problem with both the Villa and the Arshavin scenarios is that they replace Keane more then Berbatov.  Berbatov is a traditional nine - a target man - and while it is conceivable Ramos feels no need to adhere to that kind of conventional tactic, it begs the question as to why they were willing to go a couple of weeks without Keane, preparing as if they would have a true lead striker, only to have to subtly change preparations with a Berbatov sale.

Tottenham may have a longer view of such a move, acquiring another, somewhat superfluous complementary striker with the idea of completing their long-term roster in either January or next summer.  For this season, they may get Villa or Arshavin (or both) and take a page out of Manchester United’s book and play without a target.  At worst, it would provide symmetry to this deal.

Links
United seal £25 million deal for Spurs star
Berbatov to United in 48 hours - Report
Berbatov on the brink of £28m transfer from Suprs to United
Berbatov on brink of Man Utd move
Spurs losing hope of hanging on to Berbatov

Juande Ramos came to White Hart Lane representing a complete change in attitude, one that would emphasize a more free-flowing but technical brand of football. He would bring the best parts of his La Liga background (the skilled and technical play) and merge them with what the Premiership is known for (speed, pace, and athleticism). In bringing in Luka Modric and Giovani Dos Santos, Ramos seemed to underscore that message. If nothing else, Spurs would be quicker and more skilled in attack.

To a certain extent, this justified the sale of Robbie Keane. Yes, Keane wanted to leave, but part of what lessened the blow was knowing the money Liverpool would give for him could be put towards Ramos’s renovation. Keane is a great player who could fit in anywhere, but would he play as well off of Modric and Dos Santos as a David Villa or an Andrei Arshavin? Keane is not quite as good a fit for this new approach as Dimitar Berbatov, who may still be able to be convinced to stay on at North London should sufficient talent be brought in and he was the key in pushing the back line.

That plan, in the moments after Keane was sold, seemed to be coming into place. Rumors of Valencia’s willingness to talk David Villa surfaced. Diego Capel from Sevilla had indicated a willingness to soften his stance on not leaving this season. Thiago Neves as still out there, and Andrei Arshavin’s agent had confirmed contact between Tottenham and Zenit.

With so many possibilities out there that would continue the revitalization of Juande Ramos’s team, it was disappointing to see such a conventional move to capture David Bentley. I think Bentley is a fine player, but Spurs must value him much higher than I do, because the reports of £15 to £17 million to capture the right midfielder almost completely exhausts their Keane money. They are still lacking a striker unless they want to move Dos Santos into that role, something which does not seem their Plan A as they continue their Arshavin pursuit today.

There are some that would trade Keane for Bentley plus three to five million pounds. I would not. Even if you grant Bentley the better player of the two, it’s unclear he is the better player for Tottenham. Many of the traits listed in the first paragraph that Ramos has explicitly or implicitly sought throughout the summer are absent from Bentley’s game. He is not the fastest or most athletic player, nor does he play at a great pace. As the featured player in Blackburn’s attack he was able to score five goals and direct pass onto eleven others, but with Modric slated to be the maestro for Spurs, Bentley becomes a role player - a specialist. He will play on the right, cross to Berbatov (should the Bulgarian be kept), take set pieces and corners. Tottenham has just paid over £15 million for a player who will struggle to keep up with the rest of the team and be relegated into a secondary contributor’s role.

That paragraph may be a bit harsh on Bentley. He may come into his own for Tottenham, but I just don’t see it. Even if Ramos thinks Bentley will shine, when you spend £15 to £18 million you should not have to wish improvement. For that money, you should not be banking on a player whose value to your team is unclear to a random, football-crazy blogger. At that price, some things should be clear.

Ramos should have pushed harder for Diego Capel.  He’s cheaper.  He’s younger.  He’s better.  He will improve more.  He fits in better with what Ramos has said he wants to do.  There is a dynamism to Capel’s game which Bentley will never have.  He is not as good on crosses and set-pieces as Bentley, but if Berbatov moves, Tottenham will not have anybody to target.

Whereas Bentley is a star player for mid-table clubs, Capel will eventually be able to play and star for the best clubs in the world.

Perhaps Sevilla was being too demanding (if they were willing to move him at all), but if reports over the last week were any indication, there was room between player and club for Tottenham to step in.

If they couldn’t get Capel, they should have left the money available to acquire the supporting striker they need. The worst outcome in paying top-dollar for Bentley is not acquiring a less-than-ideal player. Bentley will be fine, but if the fee sent to Blackburn forces a compromise on the striker they need, the one positive from last year about Spurs (their attack) will have been compromised to get the England international.

Spurs fans wait with a cautious optimism, electing to look more at the striker they’re rumored to get than at Bentley, who all the supporters can live with. But instead of looking at that striker, Spurs followers should take a moment to look towards Sevilla and Diego Capel. Even though he plays the opposite side of midfield, he was still a better fit.

This article will be revised for publication on American Soccer Reader later tonight.

Quotes

“Tottenham Hotspur plc is pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with Blackburn Rovers for the transfer of the registration of the England international midfielder, David Bentley, age 23 years, to Tottenham Hotspur FC for a total consideration of 15 million pounds and up to an additional two million payable upon future performances. The player’s contract is for a period of up to six years.” - Tottenham
“I am calm and I am only thinking about succeeding here (Sevilla) at the moment.” - Capel
“The only way that things could change would be if another club and Sevilla came to an agreement.” - Capel
“For sure everybody wants to grow as a footballer, I’m at a great club, but you always have better objectives.” - Capel
“I know there’s something, but Sevilla trust me and I owe them for this confidence.” - Capel
“I had my heart set on Tottenham and I didn’t think about going to any other club.” - Bentley
“I’ve come here with a big price tag and I have to repay Tottenham with all of my heart.” - Bentley
“There are a lot of good players here, you look at (Luka) Modric, Giovani dos Santos and I’m looking forward to fitting in the side somewhere.” - Bentley
“I’m sure he will bring the best ability to our team and we can help him maximise his potential.” - Ramos
“Working under someone like Ramos is great. He’s going to get the best out of me.” - Bentley
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him for what he’s achieved. I’ve talked a lot to the other players about him and I’m sure he’ll push me on to the next level. He’s really good.” - Bentley
“Gazza was my favourite player, all my mates are Tottenham fans and there’s a piece of my heart at this club.” - Bentley
“We can do anything we want and anything we put our minds to. We’ve got a great manager and you can see what he did last season.” - Bentley

Links

Capel not seeking sale
Capel Leaves Next Move In Sevilla’s Hands
Clubs will decide my fate - Capel
£12.5m winger wants to join Spurs
Diego Capel coudl still move to Tottenham
Capel considering Sevilla exit as Spurs hover
Capel confirms Tottenham interest
Sevilla winger reveals Spurs contact
Spurs complete Bentley signing
Spurs unveil Bentley
Bentley says his heart is at Tottenham
Bentley eyes top four spot
Bentley transfer details announced
Spurs splash out on brand new Bentley
Tottenham complete Bentley signing
Tottenham confirm £15m six-year deal for Bentley
Spurs unveil Bentley

Yesterday, Andrei Arshavin’s agent said that Zenit St. Petersburg was in negotiations with Tottenham regarding the transfer for his client to the North London club. Today, the club confirmed the negotiations, adding that the Russian Prince could be making his way to England within five days.

The price Zenit is reported to be seeking is £20 million with at least one report saying it’s £24 million, the highest figure reported since the Arshavin frenzy started six weeks ago.  The main difference between then any now:  Tottenham has already started to play their hand in regards to their strikers, having sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool.  Zenit will be negotiating from a position of strength - able to afford Arshavin, willing to keep him, having a buyer with a need.  Still, you don’t quote a number like £24 million for a 27-year-old unless you’re willing to come down.  If Zenit is willing to let their number fall below £20 million so Spurs don’t take a loss on the Keane sale, a deal should be done.

Between player and new club, negotiations may also be farther along then yesterday’s initial reports hinted.  Arshavin’s agent says that personal terms have been agreed to between the Russian Prince and Spurs, helping to explain why reports have surfaced of Tottenham’s withdrawal from David Villa and Diego Milito talks.  Arshavin now seems destined for White Hart Lane, as it is unlikely Spurs would have gotten to this point in Zenit talks, forsaking other options, if they were not eventually prepared to meet Zenit’s asking price.  Perhaps Zenit should hold out for the full £24 million?

Zenit’s preparations for an Arshavin move are said to have begun, with the St. Petersburg club having made a play for Marseille’s Mathieu Valbuena.  Their did was reported to be €18 million, a good amount for a 23-year-old midfielder who has only one year’s experience at a top level.  With Arshavin gone, Zenit will need another scoring threat to compliment and compensate for Pavel Progrebnyak.  Valbuena is unlikely to be that kind of player.

Quotes

“We have certain contacts with Tottenham, but when they will conclude, I still do not know.” - Konstantin Sarsaniya, spokeman, Zenit
“Tottenham have an interest in the player, and I understand that the player has an interest in the club too.” - Sarsaniya
“Tottenham Hotpsur is the club to agree personal terms with the player but unfortunately we are too far making an agreement with Zenit St Petersburg.” - Dennis Lachter, agent, Arshavin
“The promises given to the player have gone and, day to day, there are new updates regarding the transfer.” - Lachter
“Several inside the club couldn’t agree the concept of the deal and this is the main problem.” - Lachter
“Andrei likes the way Juande Ramos is going to play at Tottenham and this is the main point of our decision - not only the money but the desire of the manager to have the player.” - Lachter
“I have already taken a final decision. It only remains to finalise it with the club management.” - Arshavin

Links

Zenit ready for Arshavin exit
Zenit:  Arshavin talks continuing
Zenit hint Arshavin agreement is close
Zenit bid for Valbuena
Arshavin could join Tottenham Hotspur soon
Record fee for Bentley stretches Tottenham in pursuit of Arshavin
Spurs told to dig deeper for Arshavin after securing Bentley
Milito off Spurs’ radar
Arshavin agrees Spurs terms but deal stalls
Arshavin set to join Bentley at Spurs
Spurs in talks with Arshavin
Spurs in Arshavin talks

Earlier today I posted to American Soccer Reader the news that David Bentley had completed his move from Blackburn to Tottenham Hotspur.  It can be found here, and it’s pretty much a stright-up report.

It was a move that had been widely rumored for most of the summer, so I don’t have any keen thoughts on the transaction.  My gut thinks Tottenham’s probably overpaid, but we won’t know that until the transfer fee gets released.  I’m also not sure how much this helps Spurs, as they still have yet to address their defensive deficiencies.  Given the style of player they acquired, there decision regarding Dimitar Berbatov and his  replacement becomes a little more complicated.  Players like Andrei Arshavin, David Villa and Thiago Neves aren’t the best type of scorers to fit with Bentley.  In fact, Berbatov is a much better compliment for him.  Does this mean Berbatov is now likely to stay?

I will post more refined thoughts on this tomorrow, but while you may before than read how Spurs are ready for an assault on the Premiership’s Champions League spots, I am unconvinced.

Links

Tottenham Completes Bentley Acquisition

The idea of Andrei Arshavin moving from Zenit St. Petersburg to Tottenham in the wake of the Robbie Keane sale has reached an explicit stage, with Arshavin’s agent speaking about Spurs specifically.

Dennis Lachter downplayed the idea that a move is close, but he did continue that Spurs continue to talk to Zenit about the Russian Prince.  He confirmed that Zenit maintains a high price for Arshavin (though it has reportedly dropped slightly) and the gap between it and what Tottenham wants to pay remains significant.

The angle of the story that nobody is talking about is Arshavin’s change of heart as it concerns Spurs.  Arshavin had some negotiations earlier this summer with Spurs before his Euro 2008 explosion, after which he seems to indicate Spurs was not a big enough club for him.  But after Barcelona tried to low-ball Zenit and no other top-tier clubs tabled offers, Arshavin’s decided that a move to London an Tottenham is better than stay with Zenit.  At least he gets to move to the Premiership, and there are far worse clubs you could be at than Tottenham.

If Arshavin’s reticence to move to Italy wasn’t such an issue, AS Roma would also be a possibility.  Roma is an elite club, will be playing in the champions league, has players like Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, and is a serious threat for their league’s title.  Rome is a beautiful place and Italy has some appreciation for Russian culture.  Still, Arshavin has been adamant that he does not want to move to the Serie A.

At this point, Zenit can hold out, knowing that Tottenham has played their hand in selling Keane.  Daniel Levy wants everybody to believe that Spurs had no choice but to sell, but it’s unlikely the situation is as simple as “mighty” Liverpool forcing Tottenham’s hand.  Spurs acted too early on a deal that could have done as a handshake until they got Arshavin, David Villa, or Thiago Neves.  Now Zenit, who is willing to lose out on an Arshavin deal for asking too much, can exact their fee from Tottenham.  It’s unlikely with Valencia or Fluminense will be selling their target at a discount.

Quotes

“At this point there is some talks with Tottenham, but nothing complete because of the high fee Zenit want for Andrei.” - Lachter
“The gap is huge between the two clubs as Zenit are looking a lot of money for Andrei.” - Lachter
“Juande Ramos very much wants to sign Andrei as he is his number one target and Daniel Levy is doing everthing to make the deal, but it is difficult to agree a fee with Zenit.” - Lachter
“Andrei has made it known he wants to leave Zenit and the player has made his decision - he would like to go to Tottenham.” - Lachter

Links

Spurs in Arshavin talks
Arshavin itching For Spurs Move - Agent
Arshavin agent cools Tottenham talk
Spurs in talks with Arshavin

As beguiling as I find Juande Ramos’s decision to move Robbie Keane, it’s a salvageable situation.  The money Spurs got in the Keane signing will help Ramos construct the younger, faster, more skilled roster he’s been looking to mold since taking over in January.

David Villa would fit that mold nicely, but reports hold Ramos has declined Valencia’s invitation to register a bid for Villa.  That seems unconscionable in like to the money brought in for Keane until you consider Spurs may already have another striker in mind.  With Thiago Neves, another player recently linked to Spurs, in Beijing and unlikely to be sold until after returning to Fluminense (at the earliest), there is one player left on the list.

Andrei Arshavin was said to be close to moving to Spurs a couple of weeks ago when Tottenham registered a bid just short of Zenit’s £21.5 million evaluation.  Though it wsa thought Ramos would move on, the cash infusion from Liverpool could make its way east.  With Zenit still struggling in the Russian Premier League, the sale of Arshavin is unlikely to derail any non-existent championship hopes (though it may keep them out of the top five and Europe all together, especially if Pavel Progrebnyak can’t stay healthy).

I don’t know if Arshavin is necessarily a better player than Keane, but he quickness and technical skill are closer to what Ramos wants than what Keane provided.  Whether Spurs keep Dimitar Berbatov or let him go and get a player like Samuel Eto’o from Barcelona, Arshavin make a perfect second striker an attacking midfielder.  His natural position on the left could even play off Luka Modric and Giovani Dos Santos should Ramos wish to deploy a three-in-support tactic behind whomever pushes the line.

Having to only come up with another couple million pounds to meet Zenit’s evaluation of Arshavin, Ramos will be left with a small pool to address the midfield.  David Bentley has been constantly lilnked with Tottenham since he handed in his transfer request, a move that seems to contradict a lot of what Ramos is trying to do.   If I’m trying to create a quicker more technically skilled club, I’m not going to get David Bentley.  He lacks the pace to play along side players like Arshavin, Modric, and Dos Santos.

What Bentley does provide, however, is good distribution from the right, the potentially to play the middle, and a deeper lying threat than the rest of Tottenham’s lineup.  In that respect, he can be seen as a fit, and a where-there’s-smoke-there’s-fire logic holds Ramos to agree with this.  The money figures add up, too, should Ramos move for the England international.

Should Arshavin and Bentley be Ramos’s targets, he will leave a lot to be desired at the back, Tottenham’s biggest weakness last season.  With Keane and Berbatov up front, Tottenham did not lack for goals.  It was at the back where Spurs found few leads safe, yet there have been few meaningful improvements.  Getting Huerelho Gomes from PSV Eindhoven will help, but bringing a goalie into the Premiership and expecting him to completely turn around your defensive fortunes is wishful thinking.

More wishful thinking is putting your club in position where you must make moves in order to compete.  Ramos’s dealing of Keane has placed Spurs in a place where they need to replace Keane else risk not being able to compete for European football.  Darren Bent had four goals today, but that may end up being more goals than he pockets for the entire Premiership.  Whether he or Dos Santos slots into Keane’s spot in the interim, Tottenham is now short a striker.  That they may get Arshavin (and Bentley) is less interesting than the fact that they now need Arshavin.

Quotes

“The price is very high, as are the personal terms.  Let us see what happens in the future. It may need English clubs to sell some players first.” - Dennis Lachter, agent, Andrei Arshavin

Links

Arshavin would consider Spurs
Tottenham can’t afford Arshavin - Zenit
Spurs offer for Russian star rejected
Robinson departure helps Bentley’s Spurs move
Robinson set for Rovers as Bentley heads the other way

When the first rumors surfaced a month ago, I thought them laughable.  Robbie Keane leave Tottenham?  Be allowed to leave Tottenham?  Especially considered Dimitar Berbatov was likely to go?

Not going to happen, I thought.

Now, not only has the move happened, it happened before Berbatov was moved, to a squad that Tottenham should have been targeting.  If Spurs really wanted to crack the top four, Liverpool was their most reasonable target, yet they’ve just helped the Reds move closer to third, not fifth.

But more than the effects on the table, I wonder what this move says about Spurs’ culture; specifically, the stamp Juande Ramos is seeking to put on the club.  Keane was Spurs’ most popular player, and whether he wanted to move or not (seems he did, even if he was not as public about it as Gareth Barry’s been) there are serious implications to moving a player as popular as Keane.  It seems Ramos didn’t think twice about it.  Moving Keane not only is a cash boon for the Spaniard, it also allows Ramos to turn the page on the preceding era and completely remake the squad in his own image.

Because I think Keane a very good player, I don’t like the move.  Ramos could go out and get somebody like David Villa to take Keane’s place, but what are the odds Villa eclipses the 23 goals Keane produced for Spurs last season?  If he comes close, either over or under that total, what’s to say it’s worth trading a fan favorite for an expatriate countryman?  Seems it would have made more sense to just give Keane a raise to the salary you would have to pay Villa, telling the Irishman you want to continue to make him the club’s figurehead.

With that in mind, any move like this has to be made as much from a desire for change as a tactical consideration, and until Ramos is actually able to get a Villa or Thiago Neves to come to White Hart Lane, it’s a step back.  All along, I’ve thought talk from Spurs fans about top four has been way overblown, but if that is truly a club goal, this does nothing to achieve it.

Twenty million pounds is nothing to sneeze at for a twenty-eight year old striker.  Ramos can defend the sale on that alone.  I am just not sure I would have done the same, in his position.  Sell Berbatov first and then make an evaluation.  But it’s clear Ramos has more than just a player-move in mind.  He’s trying to change the whole Spurs landscape.  Mission accomplished, Juande.  Without Keane in the lineup, Tottenham certainly will look entirely different.

Of course, I’m completely overlooking the fact that Keane requested a transfer and seemingly wanted to move to Liverpool.  Claiming it his boyhood dream to play for Liverpool, Keane has been working behind the scenes to orchestrate the move to Liverpool.  I suspect there’s more to this move than mere boyhood fancy.  Pascal Chimbonda expressed his displeasure with the Ramos regime before leaving for Sunderland, and I suspect the feeling extends to more on the roster.  Keane may be too loyal to the club to throw their new manager under the boss, but this generation’s Liverpool team is not the same club Keane grew up with.  I suspect his boyhood affinity is being rekindled as a proxy for the desire to call it a day on the Tottenham chapter of his career.

Quotes

“I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past six years, which were the best and most enjoyable of my career to date.” - Keane
“I will never forget them. I would specifically like to thank chairman Daniel Levy for understanding, that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn’t let pass me by.” - Keane
“I was incredibly disappointed when I first heard, not only that Liverpool had been working behind the scenes to bring Robbie to Anfield, but that Robbie himself wanted to go and he submitted a transfer request.” - Daniel Levy, chairman, Spurs
“I have already made my opinion clear on the nature of this transaction. I don’t regard it as a transfer deal - that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade - this is very much an enforced sale.” - Levy

Links

Liverpool sign Spurs’ Keane
Keane makes Reds move
Liverpool sign Ireland striker Keane from Spurs
Liverpool signs Keane from Spurs
Liverpool completes signing of Spurs’ Keane