Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben believes Rafael van der Vaart will be a big hit at Tottenham Hotspur
Arjen Robben, the former Chelsea and Real Madrid winger, believes that Tottenham Hotspur made an excellent buy in the shape of Rafael van der Vaart. Robben said that his Dutch teammate will be a great addition to the team and an already good team will become excellent with his addition. Robben went as far as to say that Tottenham would now be as good as Arsenal.
The left winger was signed by Spurs on the eve of the transfer deadline from Real Madrid. The deal was signed for 8 million pounds.
Robben said that Tottenham has fast been emerging as one of the most improved teams in the English Premier League, and before they signed Rafael they were close but still not at the level of Arsenal. However, now for sure they have come at par with their city rivals.
The Bayern Munich star said that Van der Vaart would be one of the best - if not the best - left-sided midfielder in the English game. Robben’s current team Bayern Munich were also believed to be interested in attaining the services of Van der Vaart, but the deal could not be finalised. Robben said that he really wanted Van der Vaart to join Bayern but for some reasons the deal could not go through. He added that Spurs have got a gem of a player and he hopes that they make good use of him.
He went on to praise his good friend; he said that in terms of his ability to martial the midfield, making a threaded pass and creativity of splitting open a defence. He said that Van der Vaart is right up there with Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal, Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard.
Robben believes that Rafael would help make Spurs take the next step in the league, from being a very good team to a team that would be able to beat the biggest in the league and in Europe.
He said that the deal is also one of the best, considering the amount of money clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City have spent to boost their squads. A player like Van der Vaart for 8 million, he said, was a pure bargain.
The midfielder, while talking to a British newspaper, could not hold back his feelings about his former club Real Madrid. He said that clubs like Real Madrid often undermine great players like Rafael and let them go. This has been a trend at the club and that is why they have not won anything in a while.
He reflected on the summer when Real Madrid sold off him and Wesley Sneijder. Robben said that he went on to win the domestic league in Germany and also made it to the final of Champions League, while Wesley Sneijder made history with Inter Milan by winning the treble. So it’s Madrid’s loss that becomes other clubs’ gain, and that would be the case for Tottenham with Van der Vaart.
Arjen Robben, who played in the 2010 World Cup final for Netherlands, said that Arsenal’s Robin van Persie was also a key man in convincing Rafael to come to the English Premier League. He said that Van der Vaart had been talking about coming to England during the World Cup, and Van Persie did tell him how good life was in London and that he would love it there. He said that Van Persie was perhaps trying to bring him to Arsenal, but it backfired and now he is playing for their oldest rivals Tottenham.
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