Farewell To Bentley and Gallas But Will BAE Be Leaving Totttenham Too?

The Premier League released the names of the players who have given free transfers this summer. As expected David Bentley and William Gallas will be leaving Tottenham at the end of their contracts but could Benoit Assou-Ekotto be on his way out of White Hart Lane?

William Gallas [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]David Bentley  will be leaving Spurs this summer having made only 69 appearances since signing from Blackburn Rovers in 2008 for £15 million. In his first season he made 35 appearances, scoring 2 goals. His first Premier League goal for Spurs was a spectacular effort against his former club, Arsenal, in what was officially Harry Redknapp’s first game as manager. His was the opening goal of the game which saw Spurs score two goals in the final minutes to earn a 4 – 4 draw. The following season Bentley was less involved making 24 appearances with 4 goals although he did come back into the team for the final games of the season as Spurs finally gained a Champions League place.

Since then he has only made 3 appearances and has been on loan with Birmingham City, West Ham United, Rostov in Russia and at his previous club Blackburn.

William Gallas was not a popular signing from Arsenal in 2010 but he was named captain by Harry Redknapp for the game against his former club as Spurs won 3 – 2 at the Emirates. He used his experience well as Spurs progressed in the Champions League in 2010-11. One of his best Tottenham games was probably the scoreless draw at White Hart Lane against AC Milan as Spurs held on to the advantage gained in the first leg in Italy to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Age and injury caught up with Gallas over the past two seasons but Andre Villas-Boas gave him another opportunity last year as he captained the team in the early months of the season. He scored his first goal for Spurs in the home defeat against Chelsea last October and was always totally committed and determined to instill a winning mentality in his Tottenham team mates. He made 72 appearances in all competitions.

Four young players have also been released by Spurs. John Bostock was signed from Crystal Palace in May, 2008 at the age of 16 years to much media coverage. He cost Spurs £700,000 and made his debut in a UEFA Cup game against Dinamo Zagreb, coming on as a substitute, and becoming the youngest player ever to play for Spurs at 16 years, 295 days. He made two further UEFA Cup appearances that season but had to wait until January 2011 for another opportunity when he came on as a substitute in the FA Cup against Cheltenham Town. Bostock failed to develop as had been expected and spent much time out on loan but it never seemed to work out for him. His last loan spell was with Toronto FC in the MLS last March but it ended after just over two months.

Jake Nicholson made an appearance as a substitute for Spurs in the Europa League game against Hearts in August, 2011 at White Hart Lane but missed much of last season through injury. Jack Barthram and Jack Munns played for the Tottenham Under-21 team.

Thanks and best wishes to all of them on their future in or out of football.

Will Benoit Assou-Ekotto Be Leaving?

Will BAE be off to Turkey? [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]BAE’s View

Contradictory comments and reports have appeared in recent weeks over Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s future with Tottenham. The player in an interview in The Guardian last month commented that he hoped to finish his career with Tottenham but admitted that it was not in his hands. The left back who has become something of a cult figure at White Hart Lane had a difficult season last year. He scored a goal against Norwich at the beginning of September but was out until January with injury. Since returning he has been in and out of the team and admitted that it had been difficult to adapt to new players in the team and the manager’s methods having been absent for so much of the season.

"‘I would be quite happy to see out my playing career here, although I know that it’s not my call to make. I have every desire to see out my contractual obligations and, if possible, extend so that I can be here for long enough to play at the new stadium.’"

AVB on BAE

With speculation that Spurs could be looking to sign a left back this summer, Andre Villas-Boas comments on BAE at the end of the season were reported on London24.com.

"“He’s an extremely important player for us. We have Danny Rose coming back and Zeki Fryers so we have to make the best decision.”"

Off To Turkey?

This week reports have appeared in the press that the player could be off to Turkey. The Daily Mail reported that  with Fenerbache are preparing a £6 million bid for him.

Other reports suggest that Tottenham are looking at WBA’s Jonas Olsson as a possible replacement for BAE and that Spurs have an interest in signing the Atletico Miniero’s Brazilian midfield player, Bernard.

I hope that Assou-Ekotto stays at White Hart Lane. He comes in for criticism from some sections of the fans but is playing in a difficult position where he rarely has the same player in front of him on the left side of midfield. As left back he is often expected to get forward and provide width on the left but never gets the same degree of support cover that Aaron Lennon provides on the right for Kyle Walker. He has developed an affinity with the club and Tottenham and hopefully he’ll have a few more years in the Spurs shirt.