Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to finalise the coup of the summer transfer window today when they wait for clearance over the deal to bring Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart to White Hart Lane.
The World Cup star is set to join Spurs for just £8 million deal from Real Madrid and the manager Harry Redknap is confident that the club will receive clearance from the Premier League for the transfer to go ahead.
“It’s still dragging on. We are just waiting to see whether it’s all gone through,” Redknapp said.
“We are waiting for clearance. The chairman is dealing with it and Darren Eales, the secretary, there is nothing more I can do now.”
Spurs had initially agreed to sign the 27-year-old on a season-long loan but were then informed five minutes before the transfer deadline by Real that they were pulling out of the deal.
The Premier League club’s chairman Daniel Levy then quickly made an improved offer which was accepted by the La Liga giants and Redknapp revealed that he had only been informed at 4pm by Levy of the availability of the playmaker in a cut-price deal. Van der Vaart had apparently been on his way to Bayern Munich for £18 million, according to the Spurs boss.
“I think he was going to Bayern Munich yesterday for about £18m, but suddenly it became an awful lot cheaper,” added the Spurs boss.
“He is available now for about £8m. He is a quality player. He is a Dutch international and a great footballer.
“For that sort of money, he is a top player and he will improve us for sure. We have made the effort, whether we can pull it off or not we will have to see.
“I am hopeful. It could happen. It was a last-minute job. When I came in this morning it certainly wasn’t something I was looking to do.”
Redknapp also spoke of how Van der Vaart – who starred for the Netherlands as the Dutch reached the World Cup final in South Africa against Spain – would add to the team.
“He is a great passer of the ball, he is a top footballer. He will join in here and play the way we like to play, he would be a big plus for us.” Redknapp added.
“He looked like he was going for £18m but then the fee came crashing down because the deadline got close. If the chairman can pull it off, I think he will have got a real bargain.”
The arrival of Van der Vaart could now throw into doubt the long term first team place of Spurs’ Croatian playmaker Luka Modric.
Tags: English Premier League, La Liga, Rafael Van Der Vaart, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, transfer news
What a stupid article! “Luka Modric’s place is in doubt!” He’s universally regarded as one of the top two players in the team! Even in midfield, (which is where Van Der Vaart will play) there are others–such as Palacios who are in more jeopardy than Modric ever will. Stupid!