TFC fans hoping to see Julian de Guzman in the line-up for the Reds are likely not happy with what they heard from him today on It's Called Football.
He agreed to talk to myself and the Bens today about all things club and country. The archived podcast should be available now and I'll have a link to the entire show posted as soon as it's ready.
Some highlights as they relate to his possible signing with TFC:
de Guzman confirmed that he has been offered a "significant" contract by the club. Although it was widely reported that the offer was on the table, today was the first that we've heard directly from de Guzman that it was there.
Although he understandably refused to give specifics it was clear in his voice that the money on offer from TFC was significantly better than any other club. I've had various numbers thrown at me by a variety of people, but the most consistent noise out there is that the club has offered him a short deal -- likely the rest of this season with a player option for next -- and an amount that would make him the second highest player in MLS behind only David Beckham.
Multiple sources have confirmed that he was offered $10 million for three years previously. This new offer is shorter -- giving him a chance to go back to Europe in January -- and for more money -- likely $4 million for half a season.
He said that "he hadn't said no" to the offer, but that he felt that he still had something to give in Europe. It was pretty clear that money wasn't the only consideration, but that TFC's money had his attention.
He also indicated that he would likely have his club situation figured out by the end of the week.
As I've said before, I'd be surprised if he ended up choosing TFC. However, I no longer would be shocked. The most he could possibly expect in Europe is about $1.1 million Euros a year. That's a significant pay cut and he does have his family to consider. Still, based on the latest noise today, I'd suggest that he will stay in Spain, likely signing with Espanyol.
But it is significant to see TFC throwing that kind of money at him. It demonstrates that the club is willing to sign a DP if the situation is right. Whether de Guzman is the right fit for Toronto is actually a debatable point, but one that might not be relevant if today is any indication.
EDIT: If you're coming here from a link, you might want to check out this update on the story.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
$4 million for half a season?
That would be VERY hard for JDG to walk away from.
$4m for a half season - pro-rated? I certainly hope so. That would, otherwise, be more than Beckham gets ($6.5m for a full season). SURELY it has to be for the 1/2 season = $2m. Any more than that would be lunacy.
I'm hearing that it's $4 million for the half -- i.e. $8 million/per.
I'm not clear on whether the option is for $8 million though.
To the fan, of course, it doesn't much matter. It's the same cap hit at $2 million as it is at $50 million. MLSE can afford the coin.
Wow. Obviously MLSE is making a lot more money with TFC than they actually report. Good on them.
Post a Comment