Transfer Talk Sometimes Is a Pack of Lies
Is anyone out there telling the truth?
When it comes to the sale and transfer of players at the highest levels of the game, the depressing answer to that question appears to be a resounding, “No!”
Just look at the whole sorry saga of Brazil’s Ronaldo, the equally deplorable case of Colombia’s Faustino Asprilla, and the devious deliberations involving Italy’s Alessandro Nesta, to take but three current examples.
In each instance, either the players themselves, their agents or the presidents and the management of the clubs involved, showed repeatedly that there is a vast difference between what they say and what they do.
Is it any wonder, therefore, that the media is cynical and that fans simply don’t know whom to believe?
Here’s a closer look at the three cases. Unfortunately, they feature no sex and no videotape, only lies.
Bad Example 1: Ronaldo
One week after scoring twice for Brazil in its World Cup final victory over Germany, Ronaldo--he of the strange haircut, goofy teeth and bad attitude--had this to say:
“Real Madrid is a great team, one of the most important in the world, but it has its players and I’m already part of a team at Inter. For a long time now, President [Massimo] Moratti has had confidence in me, and I am totally loyal to him.”
One month later, Ronaldo’s agent, Alexandre Martins, reiterated that the Brazilian would honor his commitment to Inter Milan even though Martins himself was trying to negotiate a deal with Real Madrid.
“He is an Inter player and will remain an Inter player 365 days a year for four years,” Martins said Aug. 7. “He has a contract that he wants to respect and, therefore, he will continue to work with Inter.”
That statement was palpably false because talks between the clubs continued in the background until the deal collapsed Aug. 25. At least that’s what reporters were led to believe.
“There is now no time to restart negotiations,” Jorge Valdano, Real Madrid’s sporting director, told a Spanish television interviewer that day. “The transfer deadline expires in a week [Aug. 31] and there is no chance of concluding a deal by then.
“I don’t know what might happen in six months or a year, but on this occasion the negotiations are definitively closed.”
That sounded like the last word, especially when Moratti underlined it three days later.
“As far as Ronaldo is concerned the situation is quite simple,” he told Italian television last Tuesday. “He is and will be part of Inter. [He] is staying with us. The issue is already closed.”
On Saturday, shortly before the midnight trade deadline, Ronaldo, 25, was sold by Inter Milan to Real Madrid for $46.3 million.
In the future, a large grain of salt is recommended when attempting to swallow anything said by Ronaldo, Martins, Moratti or Valdano.
Bad Example 2: Asprilla
Supporters of the English third division team Darlington were justifiably excited when they learned that two-time Colombian World Cup star Asprilla was going to join the club.
“I want to work with the team and help it gain promotion,” Asprilla, 32, said when introduced to fans Aug. 25.
A few days later, Asprilla failed to turn up for his physical and George Reynolds, the club’s chairman, said the Colombian had abandoned England for the Middle East.
“We made him a fantastic offer and I thought it was all in place,” Reynolds told Britain’s Sky Sports. “I’m absolutely devastated.
“We’re friends. I wined and dined him.... We offered him 20% of the gate receipts, plus salary, plus a car, plus a flat [apartment] rent-free.
“I’ll never talk to him again; he’s completely sunk me.”
On Saturday, Asprilla apologized, but said no agreement had been reached.
“I traveled 20,000 miles with the intention to play for Darlington,” he told Sky Sports. “We never agreed on a deal.
“What Darlington offered me [a reported $26,420 a week], was very good, but it wasn’t enough to live on here.”
Either the cost of living has reached stratospheric levels in England or someone is not telling the truth.
The latter seems more likely. Asprilla’s agent, Jairo Pachon, admitted Saturday that the striker had received another offer, from a wealthier club in Dubai.
Bad Example 3: Nesta
Alessandro Nesta is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world, a centerpiece of Lazio and Italy’s national team.
As such, he has been coveted by wealthier clubs in Italy and abroad, but Sergio Cragnotti, Lazio’s president, has long insisted that he would not part with Nesta, at least not for anything less than the world-record price for a defender of $47 million that Manchester United paid in July for Rio Ferdinand.
“I think Nesta would cost more than that, certainly nothing less,” Cragnotti said July 23.
The asking price appeared to deter prospective buyers and by Aug. 8 Cragnotti said that Nesta, 26, was no longer for sale.
“We have no intention of getting rid of him,” he told Italy’s ANSA news agency.
But talks were in progress and only ended (apparently) Aug. 11, when Lazio refused AC Milan’s offer of $25.2 million for Nesta.
“The negotiations are considered closed,” AC Milan said then.
On Saturday, Lazio sold Nesta to AC Milan for $30 million, thus making a mockery of all the previous statements.
Added Intrigue
The coming days could bring more intrigue and obfuscation.
Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid left Inter Milan with enough cash to buy Argentina national team striker Hernan Crespo from Lazio for $26 million. Lazio paid a then-world record $54.1 million for Crespo only two years ago, which leaves Cragnotti with some explaining to do.
Lazio’s fans certainly are not happy. They rioted in Rome on Saturday after the sale of Nesta and Crespo.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes was supposed to be involved in the Ronaldo deal, moving to Inter Milan as part of the Ronaldo purchase price and then being sold to Barcelona. But that fell through.
Now, Morientes is rumored to be heading for Tottenham Hotspur in England. Or perhaps to Manchester United, which also wants another striker.
It sounds believable. Or at least as much as anything in soccer is believable these days.
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*--* Passing the (Big) Bucks Soccer’s top 20 all-time transfer fees: Player Year From To Fee* Zinedine Zidane 2001 Juventus Real $64.4 Madrid Luis Figo 2000 Barcelona Real $56.1 Madrid Hernan Crespo 2000 Parma Lazio $54.1 Christian Vieri 1999 Lazio Inter $50.0 Milan Rio Ferdinand 2002 Leeds United Mancheste $47.0 r United Ronaldo 2002 Inter Milan Real $46.3 Madrid Gianluigi Buffon 2001 Parma Juventus $45.9 Gaizka Mendieta 2001 Valencia Lazio $41.0 Juan Veron 2001 Lazio Mancheste $39.5 r United Pavel Nedved 2001 Lazio Juventus $36.4 Nicolas Anelka 1999 Arsenal Real $35.7 Madrid Marc Overmars 2000 Arsenal Barcelona $35.5 Lilian Thuram 2001 Parma Juventus $35.4 Denilson 1997 Sao Paulo Real Betis $35.0 Rui Costa 2001 Fiorentina AC Milan $34.9 Gabriel Batistuta 2000 Fiorentina AS Roma $33.8 Marcio Amoroso 1999 Udinese Parma $33.1 Gianluigi Buffon 2001 Parma Juventus $32.8 Nicolas Anelka 2000 Real Madrid Paris St $31.2 Germain Alessandro Nesta 2002 Lazio AC Milan $30.0 *in millions Source: Reuters
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