July 12, 2007
DIMITAR BERBATOV insists he is not worth the £11million that Tottenham paid for him - let alone the £40m that Manchester United wanted to shell out.
The Spurs striker has been shocked at the way transfer fees have spiralled out of control.
Berbatov, 26, said: “Look, last summer when Spurs told me they were willing to pay £11m for me, I asked them if they were off their heads.
“Now the word seems to be that my value is £40m and that’s simply an abnormal sum of money.”
Already, around £300m has been committed by Premier League clubs towards buying new stars — £100m more than the whole of last summer.
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has blasted the spending — and Bulgarian ace Berba agrees.
He appeared on United’s transfer radar when he scored an astonishing 23 goals in his first English season.
But Old Trafford interest cooled when Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli put up not-for-sale signs. United then turned their attentions to West Ham striker Carlos Tevez.
Despite his success at Spurs, Berba reckons he was more impressive with previous club Bayer Leverkusen.
He added: “The paradox is that I scored more goals and played even better when I was with Leverkusen but no way was I valued this highly.
“The truth is everyone in the world of English football seems to look at things quite differently to what I am used to.
“With regards to the whole Manchester United business, I just have to say that I’m very happy at Spurs.
“Even more importantly, I recognise that Tottenham has given me everything in order to make my time in the Premier League a success and I feel stupendously grateful to them. So I’m happy where I am.”
Spurs boss Martin Jol had to give Berbatov a kick up the rump last season when he scored just one goal in his first seven games.
The response was stunning — and Berbatov cannot get to grips with the huge impact he made over in the white half of North London.
He is also expecting Tottenham to gatecrash the Champions League next season.
He admitted: “Neither I nor anyone who knows me really expected last season to go as superbly or explosively as it did.
“I arrived as someone the boss seemed to think should start from the bench. The competition for places is always cruel — especially at a new club and when you have top players like Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane to compete with.
“I set myself the major objectives of showing the kind of football I was capable of and to make sure that I was needed in the starting XI.
“The whole business was an extraordinary success and nobody was more surprised than me when I was able to achieve what I did.”
Even in the murky days of not being first choice, Berbatov reveals it was the camaraderie at White Hart Lane that kept him going.
He said: “Even when I was starting as a substitute, the Spurs lads never let me feel isolated or alone. They took to me and vice versa, which was an enormous support.
“The atmosphere at Tottenham right now is absolutely unbeatable.”
Berbatov scored seven times in eight UEFA Cup matches for Spurs but still kicks himself over the quarter-final defeat to Seville. He admitted: “Even now in the middle of summer I’m still really, really angry about the way we lost.
“Not only did the ref give a manufactured penalty against us in the away leg, we created enough chances to win two games in the return leg at White Hart Lane.
“It was only a little slice of luck which we were missing and we could have gone all the way.
“Winning the UEFA Cup would truly have set the seal on a magnificent season. That taste of European football has left us all wanting so much more. I have a treasure trove of great memories of my first year in the Premiership.
“And despite the fact that football here still has a very ‘gentlemanly’ feel about it, it is also true that every game is bursting with emotion, commitment and you fight to the dying seconds.
“The fact I feel adored by the fans and I’m feted by the media hasn’t changed me and it will not do so.
“I’m the same guy. I rest and lead a simple life off the pitch.
“Even if I wanted to take advantage of all London has to offer, living about 1½ hours away from the centre puts the blocks on that!”
DIMITAR BERBATOV insists he is not worth the £11million that Tottenham paid for him - let alone the £40m that Manchester United wanted to shell out.
The Spurs striker has been shocked at the way transfer fees have spiralled out of control.
Berbatov, 26, said: “Look, last summer when Spurs told me they were willing to pay £11m for me, I asked them if they were off their heads.
“Now the word seems to be that my value is £40m and that’s simply an abnormal sum of money.”
Already, around £300m has been committed by Premier League clubs towards buying new stars — £100m more than the whole of last summer.
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has blasted the spending — and Bulgarian ace Berba agrees.
He appeared on United’s transfer radar when he scored an astonishing 23 goals in his first English season.
But Old Trafford interest cooled when Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli put up not-for-sale signs. United then turned their attentions to West Ham striker Carlos Tevez.
Despite his success at Spurs, Berba reckons he was more impressive with previous club Bayer Leverkusen.
He added: “The paradox is that I scored more goals and played even better when I was with Leverkusen but no way was I valued this highly.
“The truth is everyone in the world of English football seems to look at things quite differently to what I am used to.
“With regards to the whole Manchester United business, I just have to say that I’m very happy at Spurs.
“Even more importantly, I recognise that Tottenham has given me everything in order to make my time in the Premier League a success and I feel stupendously grateful to them. So I’m happy where I am.”
Spurs boss Martin Jol had to give Berbatov a kick up the rump last season when he scored just one goal in his first seven games.
The response was stunning — and Berbatov cannot get to grips with the huge impact he made over in the white half of North London.
He is also expecting Tottenham to gatecrash the Champions League next season.
He admitted: “Neither I nor anyone who knows me really expected last season to go as superbly or explosively as it did.
“I arrived as someone the boss seemed to think should start from the bench. The competition for places is always cruel — especially at a new club and when you have top players like Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane to compete with.
“I set myself the major objectives of showing the kind of football I was capable of and to make sure that I was needed in the starting XI.
“The whole business was an extraordinary success and nobody was more surprised than me when I was able to achieve what I did.”
Even in the murky days of not being first choice, Berbatov reveals it was the camaraderie at White Hart Lane that kept him going.
He said: “Even when I was starting as a substitute, the Spurs lads never let me feel isolated or alone. They took to me and vice versa, which was an enormous support.
“The atmosphere at Tottenham right now is absolutely unbeatable.”
Berbatov scored seven times in eight UEFA Cup matches for Spurs but still kicks himself over the quarter-final defeat to Seville. He admitted: “Even now in the middle of summer I’m still really, really angry about the way we lost.
“Not only did the ref give a manufactured penalty against us in the away leg, we created enough chances to win two games in the return leg at White Hart Lane.
“It was only a little slice of luck which we were missing and we could have gone all the way.
“Winning the UEFA Cup would truly have set the seal on a magnificent season. That taste of European football has left us all wanting so much more. I have a treasure trove of great memories of my first year in the Premiership.
“And despite the fact that football here still has a very ‘gentlemanly’ feel about it, it is also true that every game is bursting with emotion, commitment and you fight to the dying seconds.
“The fact I feel adored by the fans and I’m feted by the media hasn’t changed me and it will not do so.
“I’m the same guy. I rest and lead a simple life off the pitch.
“Even if I wanted to take advantage of all London has to offer, living about 1½ hours away from the centre puts the blocks on that!”