Interesting quotes out of Germany, as Hamburg is admitting that they are doing everything they can to re-sign attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart. HSV's Chairman Carl-Edgar Jarchow gave the revealing quotes to the German Press Association, saying:
"There is not a lot of time - it is really up to Tottenham Hotspur. [...] If we have a chance to sign him, we will do everything we can to make that happen."
The Independent's story lists a claimed £14 million price tag attached to van der Vaart by Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy. Van der Vaart, 29, arrived to Tottenham Hotspur in the last minutes of the 2010 transfer window from Real Madrid for a reported £8 million.
Rafael van der Vaart's place at Tottenham Hotspur has fallen into doubt after the arrivals of Gylfi Sigurdsson and soon-to-sign Moussa Dembele. Van der Vaart does not fit into Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas favored 4-3-3 system. And after working to finish to Dembele's signing and seeing Chairman Levy fly to Donetsk to attempt to finish a deal for Brazilian forward Willian, many on this site and elsewhere have posited that it signals a full change in system coming to Tottenham Hotspur.
If Tottenham Hotspur can sell van der Vaart for £14 million it would represent a tidy piece of business done by Levy. At 29, VDV's value is likely to never again be any higher than it is now. And after some of the injury problems the Dutch attacker has suffered, moving to the new younger options may be wise for Tottenham Hotspur.
In my mind, that clinches the need to sell van der Vaart if the fee can approach Levy's valuation. Van der Vaart can be used to help re-invest in a striker or wide forward like Willian, while removing a logjam at attacking midfield that was sure to leave some parties unsatisfied. Gylfi Sigurdsson needs to be given the keys to the position, and will not play up to his potential as long as Rafa blocks him.
Rafa (and of course Sylvie), I hope you've enjoyed your last two years in North London. I know Tottenham supporters have. But it might be coming to an end shortly.
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