Real Madrid pursued the Welsh international from Tottenham with an offer of 100 million euros, a sum that raised eyebrows among many in the football world. Interestingly, Zinédine Zidane, who played a pivotal role in the pursuit of the player as Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid, now expresses surprise at the perceived extravagance of the amount.
Zidane, reflecting on the transfer dynamics, stated, “Ten years ago, they bought me for 75 million euros, and I said I wasn’t worth that. Today, I tend to say that a player is not worth that. Two clubs agree on a price, no one forces the other to anything. It’s football, unfortunately, it’s incomprehensible with what’s happening today to pay so much.”
Acknowledging the significant investment, Zidane hinted at his future role, saying, “My role will certainly be to tell him that he plays as he knows how, not to put too much pressure on himself. He has incredible potential but still has room for improvement.” Zidane seems to emphasize the need for the player to focus on his game amid the weight of the transfer fee and believes there is further development potential for the Welsh international.