The former Tottenham Hotspur boss has spoken about some of those who got away during his time at the North London club.
Harry Redknapp has claimed he almost signed Eden Hazard before moving to Chelsea and Patrick Vieira is open to a move to Tottenham despite his Arsenal past.
Redknapp managed Spurs, his youth academy club, from 2008 to 2012, leading them to several top-four finishes and the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Now the 79-year-old has opened up about some of the failures in the transfer market during his time in charge in north London.
“Well, I met Eden Hazard. Joe Cole called me. He was at Lille and he said, ‘I’m playing with the best player I’ve ever played with.’ [Levy] and did not want to spend this money on him. I think it was around £18 million. He was cheap but he was a player, a great young player,” the former West Ham boss said in a new episode of Overlap Daily, sponsored by Sky Vegas.
By the time Redknapp took over at Tottenham, Vieira’s time at Arsenal had come to an end and he had played for Juventus in Italy and then Inter Milan. The midfielder would eventually return to the Premier League with Manchester City and Redknapp has now claimed the Senegalese boss is ready to make the switch to the north London division.
“Really, looking back, it would have been a mind-blowing signing. Patrick Vieira. I met Patrick at his house. He wanted to come. He was keen. It looked like he would come. I told him what a bottle. He was a legend at Arsenal and he was ready to go to Tottenham,” he said.
“He was ready for it, then he got a better offer or whatever. I went to his house, sat at his house, had a cup of tea with him for two or three hours. He was keen. He was a great player at Arsenal but he was ready to come and play at Tottenham. He wanted to. Otherwise he wouldn’t have met me that day.
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Among the current crop of Tottenham players, Redknapp has been impressed with one youngster in particular and believes Roberto De Zerbi will take the club back up the table.
“I think they’ve improved all round, haven’t they? In every position. I still like the Archie Gray lad. He’s been really incredible since he’s been there. Right-back, centre-half. They even made him captain this year. But I think the whole squad is a very strong top six.”
Tim Sherwood, who worked as Spurs’ interim head coach for several months, talked about what happened at the club and the transfer process for De Zerbi.
“I think this is an unrecognizable club from the past. It’s the same regime, but now there’s a different management. I’ve never seen any manager get so much money at the beginning of the transfer window. Then he identifies the players he wants to leave the club and they let go,” the 57-year-old expert said.
“They gave it. Jed Spence really gave it. He just wanted to let them go because he wanted the dressing room he felt was the best to win football matches. Now they’ve spent almost £400m, certainly not to finish 10th, and they’re looking at it now. It’s a big step up. I think they got the Traf game at the last minute. They’ve got a few results a year.
“Chelsea: No Tottenham manager goes to Chelsea and doesn’t win in that graveyard. It’s a big blow for him. I think it’s a boost that will take them forward. It’s been a good week for Tottenham with Arsenal losing last night. It’s all positive. I think they’ll beat Palace. Watch their real game.”
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