Rafael van der Vaart – Bargain of the summer?
“When I came in this morning it wasn’t something we were looking to do,” Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said of Rafael van der Vaart on transfer deadline day. Effectively, Redknapp admitted that while buying Van der Vaart was not planned, at £8 million the deal was simply too good to turn down. Too tempting a piece of wheeler-dealing if you will (sorry Harry, I know you don’t like the term).
Ignoring the reasons why the Dutchman was brought to Spurs, what a fantastic deal. After 6 games and 4 goals for the Champions League new boys, van der Vaart’s signing already looks like an inspired piece of business. Was a better value for money transfer made all summer?
It seems praise is also due to Tottenham’s chairman Daniel Levy for sorting out the transfer.
“I thought he was going to Bayern Munich yesterday for about £18m and suddenly he become an awful lot cheaper,” said Redknapp. “The chairman came to me and said, ‘Look, he’s available for around about £8m‘.” The rest as they say is history.
In a short space of time, van der Vaart already appears to have energised Spurs. At Real Madrid he created a chance every 30 minutes for his team-mates, a quite remarkable statistic, and the 27-year-old has adapted to life in North London almost with ease.
Two goals against Aston Villa completely turned the game on it’s head as Tottenham turned a potential Champions League hangover into three valuable points, and the Dutchman’s influence on the squad is already clear. Again against FC Twente, van der Vaart was at the heart of almost all Spurs’ play at White Hart Lane until his sending off, and even that just seemed to emphasise how much he is the centre of attention.
Tactically, fitting the Dutchman into Spurs’ midfield is a challenge for Redknapp, especially as he traditionally favours two wide men and they already possess a midfield playmaker in Luka Modric. But van der Vaart is helping Spurs redevelop their tactical shape, as this article by Tom Williams demonstrates, and the sheer quality and abundance of class he brings to Spurs’ squad is obvious.
Yoann Gourcuff, Angel di Maria and James Milner all cost more than double than Rafael van der Vaart this summer (Milner more than three times the amount Spurs paid). Again, was a better value deal made anywhere in European football?
(photo by Luke_Thigh_Stalker on Flickr)
English Premier League, Rafael van der Vaart, Tottenham HotspurShare This Post!
About Jonathan F
The boss of this here... Creator and Editor of Just-Football.com, world football analyst, watcher, freelancer and all-round enthusiast. French football analyst for Football Radar. Write for FourFourTwo, have also written for ITV, When Saturday Comes and others.
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I had a heated disagreement with a scouser who was convinced VdV was past it and that Joe cole was the signing of the summer. What a fool he must feel.
Indeed. Certainly Manchester United could have done with Van der Vaart at that price to take the burden off Scholes.
It’s been a long time coming at White Hart Lane. Although, Dimitar Berbatov was a revelation during his stay in London, it was always clear to the faithful that his heart was always on a bigger stage. With VDV, Spurs have secured a player’s services who fits into the mould of inventive, thrilling but more important singularly unique players who have graced that famous old pitch. Perhaps, his impact may lessen as the nights draw in and the weather frosts over but he’s captured the imagination of so many already. He’s even lovely around the elderly. All hail, the new king of White Hart Lane. http://gregtheoharis.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/leading-the-pack/
Spurs are going to need regular Champions League football to keep him long term though, no?
That goes without saying. But Klinsmann made a lasting impression after one full season. Spurs fans aren’t fickle in that way. Who am I kidding? Champions League football is still a distinct possibility. Nobody’s really pulling away and it’s the crunch matches against the emerging powers in the Premier League which will determine the shake-up this year. As far as I can see, Spurs need not fear anybody anymore.
Very true Greg. The Champions League places are no longer reserved seats anymore.