London: Fulham manager Martin Jol last night hailed Dimitar Berbatov as the biggest signing in the club’s history.
Berbatov snubbed offers from Juventus and Fiorentina to join his former Tottenham boss in a £5 million (Dh29 million) deal and lifted spirits at the club after the £15m sale of Mousa Dembele to Tottenham.
The Bulgarian has not played for Manchester United this season and has not started a game since February but he could be involved at West Ham tomorrow.
Jol said: “With good players you have to pay good money but we have made steps over the last couple of years.
“There were a lot of clubs interested in Dimitar. We were able and capable of getting him and I’m not lying, he’s here.
“I tried to do something months ago and it didn’t come off and I came back. For him it was the right moment to make a decision and he made that decision for us.
“I’m very, very happy and I think our fans will be very happy and proud because it’s probably the biggest signing in the history of Fulham.”
Jol was Tottenham manager when Berbatov arrived at White Hart Lane for £11m from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006 but had been sacked by the time the striker was sold to Manchester United for £30m two years later.
“In my final period at Spurs, I said, ‘He will go over my dead body’,” recalled Jol. “We had a good relationship and he knows that he will enjoy his football here. Hopefully, he can score his goals and we have other good players around him.”
Berbatov’s decision to sign for Fulham did not go down well with Fiorentina or Juventus, who both believed they had struck agreements with the striker.
Juventus director general Beppe Marotta said: “Berbatov certainly did not make a good impression on anyone and it was an unprofessional way to behave, so we agree with Fiorentina that it’s best he didn’t come here.”
Fulham are also keen to sign Sunderland’s 27-year-old midfielder Kieran Richardson.
