Liverpool And Everton To Battle For Atletico Madrid's Reyes
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The Spaniard arrived in English football shortly after Cristiano Ronaldo, yet the pair's contrasting trajectories since could not be more stark.
Whenever a major acquisition is sealed it is only natural for those involved in the deal to err on the side of celebration. No one ever cautions that a transfer could as easily flop as fly. And so it was on a winter's day in 2004 when one of the most coveted young players in Europe was secured for a club record fee at Arsenal.
The club's deal crackers were thoroughly pleased with themselves and there was a fair amount of talk that the boy could be better than another prodigious and expensive Iberian winger who had recently joined Manchester United. He was a bit of a show pony, that Cristiano Ronaldo, whereas José Antonio Reyes had apparently already learned how to be efficient on a football pitch.
Oh.
The risk element of every transfer is epitomised by the contrast between the current worlds of Ronaldo and Reyes. One is the most expensive player in the world. The other doesn't know where he is supposed to show up for pre-season training. At the moment he is officially owned by Atlético Madrid, who do not really want him. It's understandable: he played one season for them in 2007-08 but did not score a single goal and was a painful disappointment.
Benfica, who had Reyes on loan last season, are dallying about whether or not they will pay for the remaining 75% of his contract to take him on. They have already missed some of Atlético's deadlines and are not giving the impression they are falling over themselves to keep him.
Reyes's downward spiral began, in a way, the moment he decided to leave his boyhood club, Sevilla, at the age of 20. He was a cult hero in Seville, where they had worked enormously hard to nurture a particularly rough diamond. When he joined the club at 12 he could barely read or write, and his gypsy accent made him difficult even for Spaniards to understand clearly. He was put under the wing of specialist educators and psychologists, and the rewards came when Reyes emerged as a player of such promise there were demonstrations and tears when he was allowed to leave for a fee that was expected to rise to £17m.
Even outside Seville it was an unwelcome move, as the Spanish were frustrated to see him tempted away from La Liga. There was not at that time a history of Spanish players adapting well to English football. Far from it. Although Cesc Fábregas had made his debut for Arsenal at the age of 16 he was just a pup, and Rafael Benítez had yet to arrive at Liverpool and begin the impressive stream that started with Xabi Alonso and Luis García and developed with players in the stellar mould of Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres.
Although he scored the odd sensational goal, Reyes had a notoriously awful time in England and never settled on or off the pitch. Even though his parents came to live with him and his mother ensured a diet of entirely Andalucian food, he never beat his homesickness. He detested the weather (his first words when he got off the plane were "Bloody hell, it's cold here!"). The language was a disaster.
Matters regressed when he was caught up in the Luis Aragonés racism scandal. The then Spain manager tried to explain himself in January 2005 as follows: "All I did was to motivate the gypsy by telling him he was better than the black. I feel I have been the victim of a lynching. All I did was try to motivate Reyes comparing him with [Thierry] Henry and making him see that he was better. I didn't use the term 'black' with any racist meaning."
Considering Henry's popularity at Arsenal, that created an intensely awkward situation. A month later, Reyes was the victim of a prank call that went out on Spanish radio where he thought he was talking to Real Madrid's sporting director, Emilio Butragueño, and practically begged to move to the Bernabéu. Eventually he did, as part of a loan swap deal involving Julio Baptista, but even though he scored the goal that sealed the 2007 La Liga title, Real did not wish to keep him permanently. In came Atlético, and he soon found himself on the slippery slope again.
Reyes now finds himself in limbo. In the past few days – in addition to the wrangling between Atlético and Benfica – he has been linked with Everton, Olympiakos, Porto, Roma, Fiorentina ... Suffice it to say his agent has been in loquacious mood, although the more soundbites that are reported about where Reyes might be playing next season, the more they seem to resemble nothing more than hot air.
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such a pity.
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actually when he was at arsenal, I quite like him. He was playing well on the left wing. But I forget the reason he left for madrid. Haiz... if only he had stayed behind, i believe his football future would have gotten to higher heights.
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wasted.. =(
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he hated life in england, with the weather, food, language and culture. he thinks that england is in north pole, freezing him to death and he doesnt fancy fish and chips, national dish of england lol.
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One of the best left wingers in my opinion at the time when he was at Arsenal. He didn't score that many goals but I remembered he made 20 assists in 2 seasons. He could have improved and achieved much more back at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger in the post "Invincibles" era. But even at Real Madrid, he was spectacular. Especially on the last match of the season when he scored 2 goals to clinch the title for Real. It was only when he went to Atletico, then his career went downhill. Nevertheless, I hope he goes to a much better club where he can play Champions League football again...
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Originally posted by -Wanderer-:
One of the best left wingers in my opinion at the time when he was at Arsenal. He didn't score that many goals but I remembered he made 20 assists in 2 seasons. He could have improved and achieved much more back at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger in the post "Invincibles" era. But even at Real Madrid, he was spectacular. Especially on the last match of the season when he scored 2 goals to clinch the title for Real. It was only when he went to Atletico, then his career went downhill. Nevertheless, I hope he goes to a much better club where he can play Champions League football again...
huh did he went to RM, when? are you sure abt that?
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Originally posted by marcteng:
huh did he went to RM, when? are you sure abt that?
Please read the article that you posted yourself... -
Originally posted by -Wanderer-:
Please read the article that you posted yourself...oh he joined a loan deal to RM, didnt even realise that
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like wad wanderer say, reyes was one of the best players for arsenal during that 2 seasons. I remember him playing left and hleb playing right. The attacking speed was lightning speed and most defence was in awe of that speed. Reyes even backtrack to help out the defence and it was one of the reason why Arsenal went to the UCL final in 2005 although sadly to say they lost. But that was one of the best Arsenal team i seen as a supporter.
However, Reyes complain here and there, stalling his contract and causing uncertainty in the team. He always talk about homesick and Wenger had no choice but to give him a return to Spain.
The young talent has now become a Spanish Shevy. Unwanted and hiding. Even those interested teams must think twice again 'coz as long he leaves for another country to play, he will still complain about homesick.
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Report - Liverpool And Everton To Battle For Atletico Madrid's Jose Antonio Reyes
The Merseyside duo are trying to tempt Reyes back to England...
Jose Antonio Reyes might have to choose which Merseyside club to join, as Everton and Liverpool battle for his services.
Reyes is searching for a club after Benfica offered just €4 million to make his loan deal permanent, while Atletico Madrid are keen to generate a higher sum for his sale.
Now, FourFourTwo reports that Everton and Liverpool are considering bringing Reyes back to England. The Spaniard previously spent three seasons at Arsenal and failed to settle, despite showing occasional flashes of brilliance.
In addition to Atleti and Benfica, Reyes also spent a season at Real Madrid, but he has never quite found the form that made him such a sought-after player at Sevilla.
However, the Merseyside duo would face a challenge in convincing Reyes to return to England, as by all accounts he failed to adapt to the country during his first stint. -
not afraid he may complain about the weather, food, culture, homesickness again?
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Originally posted by marcteng:
oh he joined a loan deal to RM, didnt even realise that
Lol u post without reading right. Nvm i also never read, can summarise.
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Lolx come Arsenal complain send u back to Spain now coming to EPL again...
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Originally posted by ViNnO:
Lol u post without reading right. Nvm i also never read, can summarise.
glance thru only la, cos its too long lol.