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On the market
Posted: Saturday June 03, 2000 11:20 AM By Keir Radnedge, CNNSI.com
There's nothing like a major event for concentrating the minds of players, managers and -- above all -- agents on the prizes at stake. And I don't mean that bauble which happens to the trophy carried off by the winners of the European Championship which is almost upon us. The real prize is in the value of the long-term contracts which will be dictated by the stars of Euro 2000. The going rate has been set by French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. He is about to join Manchester United at around US$70,000 a week. The trick is all in the timing. Do you seal your deal before the finals while your reputation is riding high or after the finals when you might be even more valuable -- or relegated to the bargain basement? Chelsea's French pair faces that dilemma. Didier Deschamps and Marcel Desailly signed up after the World Cup win and, last season, they were starring in the Champions League. But next season it's "only" the UEFA Cup if they stay in London. So they will be in the shop window in Belgium and Holland. The same goes for several of Italy's favorites. Fiorentina goalkeeper Francesco Toldo is one. Udinese midfielder Stefano Fiore is another. All the big clubs in Serie A want him. Just watch for the auction as soon as Italy makes its usual early traumatic exit from Euro 2000. But the Euro 2000 superstore is the co-host nation, Holland. Half a dozen of its players are hoping to play their way out of the chaos which is Barcelona right now. When you consider that Gabriel Batistuta, at 31, is costing Roma $33 million, how much does that make Patrick Kluivert worth -- at only 23? Especially if he scores the winning goal in the final. Keir Radnedge, a frequent contributor to CNNSI.com's soccer coverage, is executive editor of goalnetwork.com.
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