London: Harry Redknapp has revealed how he spent four hours in a Paris airport hotel, trying in vain to persuade Eden Hazard to become his player just a few weeks before he eventually joined Chelsea for 32 million pounds (187.87 million UAE dirhams).
Tottenham had identified Hazard as one of their principal transfer targets for the summer transfer window in 2012 and, with the club seemingly heading for the Champions League in place of Chelsea, Redknapp felt that a deal was feasible. “I think he was dead keen to come at that time,” he said of the player who was then with Lille.
“Joe Cole said he thought he was the best player he ever played with. He’s a fantastic talent and a great player. We pushed on for him. We just couldn’t get it over the line,” the veteran manager said on the eve of his current team QPR taking on Chelsea. Redknapp knew that two factors ultimately conspired against him: the first was Tottenham slipping from third to fourth in the Premier League, thus failing to guarantee their place in the Champions League. The second was Chelsea winning the Champions League to take the fourth and final qualification spot from Tottenham, despite finishing sixth in the league.
Hazard had been excited by the possibility of playing with Gareth Bale at Tottenham but his mind was made up once Chelsea became European champions. Redknapp tells the tale to illustrate just how difficult it is to compete for the top players with clubs such as Chelsea. “Every year I look at the manager-of-the-year awards and when I see the people who win it at the big clubs, I think it should be given to a Tony Pulis or a Steve Bruce,” Redknapp said.
— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2014
