September 15th 2024.
Rafael van der Vaart, former Tottenham player, is confident in his old team's ability to triumph over an injury-plagued Arsenal in their upcoming north London derby. After a successful start to the Premier League season, the Gunners were held to a 1-1 draw against Brighton in a chaotic game where Declan Rice was controversially given a red card. This has left Arsenal without key players, such as their captain Martin Odegaard who sustained an ankle injury while playing for Norway during the international break. Even new signing Mikel Merino is unavailable due to a fractured shoulder sustained in his first training session with the club. This leaves manager Mikel Arteta with a midfield dilemma, with only Thomas Partey and potentially Jorginho as his options.
Van der Vaart, who played for Tottenham for two years between 2010 and 2012, is well-known among Spurs fans for his heroic performances in derby matches. He scored four times in his three starts against Arsenal, including a goal and two assists in their famous 3-2 comeback at the Emirates in 2010. With Odegaard, whom he describes as the "heartbeat" of Arsenal, out of the picture, the Dutchman believes this is Tottenham's best chance to secure a victory.
Speaking to The Agency, van der Vaart said, "For Tottenham, this is great news. Odegaard is the heartbeat of Arsenal and his development in recent years has been fantastic. However, Tottenham now have a big chance with their entire midfield missing and the heartbeat gone. If they ever had a chance to win, it is now." He also praised Tottenham's strong start to the season, their attractive style of play, and their solid defense, predicting that it will be a good season for them.
Van der Vaart also shared his opinion on Tottenham's recent signing of Dominic Solanke, who sustained an ankle injury in their first game of the season against Leicester City. The former Bournemouth striker, who scored 21 goals for the club last season, joined Tottenham in a £65 million deal. Van der Vaart, however, believes this is an "unbelievable" fee for a player who he thinks will struggle to live up to it. He said, "I have a lot of problems with the money these days, especially in England. For a really normal player, you guys pay 50-60 million pounds, which is unbelievable. When I see a transfer for that amount, I already think it is unwise. I don't believe Solanke will score 40 goals, which is what you would expect for that kind of money. It is too much for a normal player."
Having played against Solanke during his loan spell at Vitesse, van der Vaart believes he is a good player but nothing exceptional. He added, "He did well in England and naturally, the next step is to join a bigger team like Tottenham. But not for that amount of money." The former Dutch international went on to express his concerns about the inflated transfer fees in the English market.
Van der Vaart was speaking on behalf of BetMGM, promoting their new £1 million Golden Goals game where players can predict Premier League scores. He also reminded audiences to gamble responsibly, as the game is open to players 18 and over.
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