The German star would have been an excellent signing for Spurs, given the lack of striking options available to AVB.
Differing reports have come out this week about whether Miroslav Klose turned down Spurs, or if it was the London club who snubbed him. Andre Villas-Boas has said that Klose was offered to him by “the usual round of agents” but he was happy with his forward options, in contrast to the striker’s claims that it was he who decided to stay at Lazio. Either way round Spurs don’t come out of this looking good, being snubbed by someone is never positive for a club, but to pass on Klose, when your squad contains only two senior out and out strikers, seems like an odd choice.
Villas-Boas is clearly counting on Dempsey and Dembele as back up for Adebayor and Defoe. He was so confident in this that he even let Harry Kane go on loan to Norwich. But Klose is an entirely different proposition to the youngster or the two attacking midfielders, and having him in the squad would have added quality as well as vast experience.
Though the German is 34, the fact that he was vying with Mario Gomez in the German team at Euro 2012 shows that he still has plenty to offer. He can play as a lone striker of a different ilk to Defoe and Adebayor, with a greater technical ability combined with his hold-up play. Klose clearly hasn’t lost his scoring touch either, netting four times in as many games for Lazio this year.
If there were unexpectedly high wage demands involved, or indeed if Lazio were asking for an extravagant transfer fee, then maybe Spurs were right to pass on the opportunity. However they may live to regret the decision.
With Klose likely to line up against them in the Europa League group stages, he will be given a perfect opportunity to show them what they missed out on. English football fans in general can be sad that the German is not playing in the Premier League, his performances in international tournaments mark him out as a special player, and it would have been nice to seem him ply his trade in England before he retires.
image: © fuad
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