selgado to chelsea

JohnnyBravo

The following article is taken from rivals.net


Not Galactico Yet another target: Michel Salgado

By EuroBlue
Date: 23/9/2003

Juvenile D already broke the news this weekend: Spanish press reports of an alleged interest, by Chelsea, in Real Madrid's right-back, Michel Salgado, are beginning to filter back to the UK. How serious this interest may be remains to be seen.


That Michel Salgado is a good right-back is beyond question. He not only plays at Real Madrid (in itself a guarantee of quality) but he's an absolute stalwart of the team. Is he, however, good enough for Chelsea? And are Chelsea really trying to entice the Spanish international to London?

Spanish sports daily 'As' is one of many papers to report Chelsea's interest - stating that there have already been contacts between The Blues and Salgado's agent, a certain Ginés Carvajal. Carvajal already knows Chelsea well: he is also agent for Raùl, and met with Chelsea in July when the Pride of London put a €100 million bid on the table for Real's striker.

Salgado's contract will come to an end this year. The Galician right-back is looking to renew his contract, and there has been no indication that he is unhappy at Madrid. Whilst the prestige for playing for Madrid will obviously count for much, money will also be a key question. Chelsea are said to have made Salgado an offer considerably higher than the €1,4 million that Salgado earns at Madrid. At a paltry £18,760 per week, he knows that he is earning far less than Madrid's galacticos, who are on 5 times more.

One year ago, Salgado's contract renewal would have cost Madrid much less than now. Salgado is playing exceptionally well and has become an essential member of the team. However, this has come to the attention of other clubs, with Milan, ManUre and Arsenal competing with Chelsea for the right-back's services. Madrid would like him to stay - club President Florentino Pérez said last week that "I really hope that his renewal will be resolved quickly", and a meeting is planned this week between the different parties to try to set a framework for the renewal. Indeed, after Madrid's 4-2 victory in the Champions' League over Olympique Marseille, Pérez purposely went to congratulate Salgado for a great match, and also to invite him to hurry up and renew his contract.

The problem is that Claude Makelele has set a precedent at Madrid, a club suffering from what the French sports daily 'L'Equipe' called 'class struggle'. On the one hand, there are 6 'galacticos' on astronomical wages; on the other are less glamorous players, a group that included Makelele and Salgado, on rather more humble salaries. Makelele knew that his contribution to the club was not being reflected in his pay packet, and that is why he left. Salgado, one of the first names on the team-sheet, is likely to think the same.

That is where player and club will disagree: Madrid's policy has been very much to maintain a 'class distinction' - galacticos on the one hand, ordinary players on the other. Madrid cannot afford to promote even the best players to the galactico, and has to keep the wages of the rest of the squad down. In short, Madrid simply cannot afford to offer Salgado the wages he considers that he is worth.

Salgado, a quiet and loyal player, has never hidden his love of the club, which is one of the reasons why the fans greatly appreciate him. He has stated that he wants to retire at the club, for instance. However, he knows also that his next contract will be his last, which is why (at 28 years old) he wants one last handsome pay cheque.

Since Salgado's contract will expire at the end of this season, where the player plys his trade next autumn will depend primarily on the salary offer he receives. Madrid will have a difficult time balancing their desire to hold on to an essential player with the need to avoid a wage revolt in the rest of the squad by offering a serious increase. If they do not make an attractive offer (and there is every indication that there will be a gap between their offer and Salgado's aspirations), the right-back would be available on a free transfer next summer. He will then begin to assess the offers he is said to have already received. As far as Chelsea's competition is concerned, Manchester and Milan's interest has already been well documented. Neither, however, would be able to match anything that Chelsea could put on the table, with the Blues said to be keen on Salgado for 2004. As for Arsenal, they can almost certainly withdraw from any race for his signature.

At this stage, we should however exercise caution. There is no concrete evidence that Chelsea are interested in Salgado: the club's name has merely been added to a list of other suitors. In fact, the story looks suspiciously like something that the agent would have made up to try to ensure that Madrid up their offer: 'you'd better increase that figure, otherwise Chelsea will be coming for Salgado'. Before considering Chelsea's interest to be real, it would be preferable to see some more hard proof.

On Chelsea's side, we have to ask the question: do we really need another right-back? The post already has Mario Melchiot and Glen Johnson (one of our best signings this summer) - one would have to go to make space for Salgado, and then we have to consider whether Salgado is such a good player to force out Melchiot (with Johnson identified as the second choice).

Frankly it's difficult to say - he's certainly a good right-back. However, Chelsea have, in the space of 10 weeks, become accustomed to attracting nothing less than the very best, and the jury must still be out as to whether Salgado is the World's best right-back. Certainly he does his job well, with a full 90 minutes of concentration and dedication. In addition, he has the experience of playing at the very highest level - Champions' League (including finals), international games. That would help any team. On the other hand, quite frankly, Madrid's defence is not good, a fact frequently over-looked as pundits wet themselves over the club's offensive capacity, so it is difficult to assess exactly Salgado's quality in that context.

On the Madrid side (and avoiding a lengthy discussion on the failure of the Pérez 'galactico' / class struggle model of player management), the Spanish champions are in a delicate situation. Having lost their defensive midfielder and failing to sign a central defender, the club has become as porous at the back as they are strong at the front. Losing Salgado would be a further blow to Madrid, and would make the team even more unbalanced. They have to hold on to him. The problem is that they might well simply not be able to afford to do so.

If Chelsea are interested, they will be capable of putting money on the table that Madrid will not be able to offer, and they can tempt the player away. Mark my words: Real Madrid's status as the world's biggest club is being undermined by Chelsea at the moment, and Madrid are all too conscious of that fact; their press is littered with snide remarks about Chelsea or breathless wonder at our sheer capacity. An editorial last week in 'As' identified Chelsea as the only serious rival for Madrid in world football, but ended, somewhat pathetically, with a promise that Madrid would pull away because Pérez has 'a plan' (completely unspecified) to double Madrid's income in 4 years. Oh really? A hypothetical plan is one thing, what Chelsea has done already is another…

p.pete

Originally posted by JohnnyBravo
And now for something completly different

Duff is a legend did anyone see him against wolves

TwoShedsJackson

He not only plays at Real Madrid (in itself a guarantee of quality)

Is it bollocks. Salgado is a good right back, but Raul Bravo (currently at centre back) is total shite, and Pavon, his defensive partner, is adequate at best.

AngelofFire

Id presume that Rèal would want to hold on to him as they are rather short in the defensive department. He is defiantely worth more than they pay him. The thing i dislike about Rèal is that they pay their superstars ten times more than they pay the others. No wonder makelele wanted to leave. He was as good a player as zidane figo etc but real would of only offered him a high pay check if he was in L`oreal adds.

Makaveli

And being bald, I guess things werent looking good for poor old Claude from the get go.

JohnnyBravo

he would be free if they went for him his contract is up this year

Eron

So Glen Johsonn might lose his place already? He was one of their superstar signings, and now hes possibly on the bench I think he would be a classic signing (Salgado) and along with their current superstars he would fit in.... I still can't believe whats happening to Chelski, its mad I think this'll go down in football history as one of the defining moments.

JohnnyBravo

Its great isnt it if and i say if they win the league this year although they could certainly finish above arsenal (suspensions) wait for the bandwagon fans

Eron

'magine next years gate receipts? gona be something else, 'Brami is a clever 'ol russian, and hes Russian to make Chelski the next big than'.

Big Ears

i think they get full gates already(or are u saying if they won the league they could charge more and the bridge would still be full ?). Well with the new owner i think it wont be like before chealsea expand there stadium (roughly 55000 capaciaty) or get a new stadium altogether.

Eron

I think he will expand it - he wants super team, he has to have super stadia