Hitch in Belfodil move blamed on agent

Tuesday, 17 January, 2017 45comments  |  Jump to most recent
Ishak Belfodil's proposed transfer from Standard Liege to Everton remains in the balance with a report suggesting his management want to call the deal off.

The 25-year-old looked set to complete a £10.4m switch to Goodison Park last week but MailOnline are now suggesting that his management are unhappy with the entrance into the equation of another agent, Christophe Henrotay.

It's unclear what role Henrotay, who is the current representative of Kevin Mirallas and David Henen and the former agent of Romelu Lukaku, is playing in the negotiations but the player's primary rep, Mohamed Al Faiech, is apparently threatening to pull the plug on the move.

Earlier rumours in the media had it that Everton were stalling because of a change of heart over whether they wanted Belfodil.

Henen, meanwhile, is once again being linked with a move to Lille this month, although the Liverpool Echo report that the Blues have not received any offers for him.  



Reader Comments (45)

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Will Mabon
1 Posted 17/01/2017 at 18:59:30
For no realistic reason at all, based on no good knowledge whatsoever, I just don't get "The feeling" for this player. Hope it falls through.
Oscar Huglin
2 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:02:43
This is odd.
David Chait
3 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:03:34
Honestly not bothered.
Frank Crewe
4 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:08:46
Agents are vermin.
Colin Glassar
5 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:13:22
Why are the Belgian press quoting £4.5m and the UK press £10.5m? There's something dodgy about this. It's almost as murky as the Hennen deal.
Ian Bennett
6 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:14:15
I've read the fee is more like £4m, but Liege are saying higher to make themselves look better for a player signed for probably free/notional 6 months ago.

I suspect someone wants a big cut, a la Funes Mori.

Chris Williams
7 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:17:13
There seems too much smoke and mirrors associated with this. Although it must be said all press speculation and bullshit.

File under "I'll believe it when I see it" and move on.
Lyndon Lloyd
8 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:23:55
Colin (5), the suggestion that he'd only cost €4m came from RTL which is apparently the Belgian equivalent of The Sun so there are caveats there.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it were true, though. Even in today's inflated market, £10.4m seems like a lot of money to pay for a player as untried as Belfodil.

Like Will (#1), I don't have the same desire to see this one get over the line, not like I did with Schneiderlin. But I suppose that's understandable because one is a known quantity with Premier League experience coming from Manchester United and the other's had more clubs than I've had hot dinners.

Dermot Byrne
9 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:24:11
Sod him!
Mike Green
10 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:27:41
I think I might become a football agent – what a laugh...!
Paul Newton
11 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:32:24
Okay, so this one might not happen... but I hope Mr Walsh has some others in the pipeline. I'm concerned that the euphoria from Sunday will soon evaporate and we'll be found short again before too long.
Steve Hopkins
12 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:35:02
Questionable attitude, questionable agent(s) ...next please.
James Morgan
13 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:37:27
Sod this guy, go for Griezmann! 😉
Soren Moyer
14 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:40:34
Ffs, buy Berahino and get done with it!!
Colin Glassar
15 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:44:30
Like Ian (#6) said, Lyndon, there seems to be some confusion about the real price. Perhaps his agent just wants to know how much his slice is and that's causing the delay.
David Chait
16 Posted 17/01/2017 at 19:47:57
I recall we missed out on Scott Parker cos of the agent's fee Moyes refused... He would've been a blue legend, that lad.

This guy... meh.

Jason Broome
21 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:06:58
Belfodil's goalscoring is shit in a shit league. A relegation type striker. Is he any better than Jelavic?

Belfodil doesn't strike me as someone who can take us forward or rise to big game moments.

I would like to see Lookman get a few chances playing off or behind Lukaku... and where is Tarasaj?

John Daley
23 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:20:44
To be fair, reports claim the player himself is fuming about the move grinding to a halt as he's got his heart set on coming to play for Everton.

There are suggestions Standard are trying to drag things out for a couple of reasons: (1) they're reluctant to lose Belfodil (who has been a big player for them thus far this season) and would prefer to see him stay if at all possible; and (2) if he's going to go, they would rather it be at the end of the transfer window so he is still available to play in a couple of big games coming up against rivals Club Brugge and Anderlecht.

Why Christophe Henrotay would be getting involved and trying to grease the wheels is open to speculation. Maybe he believes if he can help Belfodil get his move over the line, whilst bigging up his 'relationship' with Everton (having represented Fellaini, Mirallas and Lukaku) then he can bag himself a new client? Hence his current agent getting in a huff?

Whatever the reason, Standard probably won't be pleased with Henrotay poking his nose in, seeing as though they felt driven to complain to FIFA about the same agents conduct when he went round touting Michy Batshuayi to every club going and tried to convince the player to break his contract with them a couple of months after extending it.

Complimentary panto tickets all round and promises of a FaceTime call from Michael Crawford could be in order here, Bill.


Tony Abrahams
24 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:22:14
More clubs than hot dinners Lyndon, which is how Diego Costa would have also been described at the age of 24.

Good footballers can play in shit leagues, but it's a lot harder for shit footballers to play at the top level. I don't know much about this player but do find him intriguing because he's played for some decent clubs and just looks like he could have quite a bit of ability.

Patrick Murphy
25 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:39:00
I too believe that Lookman could be used up alongside Lukaku. Okay, we only saw a few minutes from him but the way he took his goal tells me he has real goalscoring instincts something that most are born with and can't be taught.

He probably won't score again for five years to ruin my theory, but unless this Belfodil is better than his career to date shows, I wouldn't worry if we didn't get him.

Tom Bowers
26 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:39:51
Not sure this striker can make a difference. If Mirallas can get more consistent after his excellent strike on Sunday then it will certainly help Lukaku.

Valencia may also be a better Premier League player than Belfodil. Calvert-Lewin is another prospect for next season .

Everton should not waste money on Belfodil, especially if the agent is just wanting to line his pockets.

Kristian Boyce
27 Posted 17/01/2017 at 20:59:28
The amount of clubs he's had isn't a bid deal, especially as the Italian team deals were all co-ownerships. Basically teams trading with each other for part ownership with the hope of him hitting it big. It's very common in Italian football for young players to bounce between clubs under this type of deal.

Concerning Christophe Henrotay, the club have a very close relationship with him and he's been involved in many of the deals involving the Belgians. He was the guy who concocted the Henen deal, as the Belgium club wanted a ridiculous amount from us for him. He did the deal that got him to Greece for 6 months and then to us for a fraction of what we were originally quoted.

I would hazard a guess that there is a deal in place, for any future deals from Belgium go through him as a part of the Henen deal.

Michael Neely
28 Posted 17/01/2017 at 21:02:39
The player has an agent, so why would he, Belfodil, and Standard allow Henrotay to become involved? This sounds like a case of third party ownership to me!
Seamus McCrudden
29 Posted 17/01/2017 at 21:07:33
Hooray Henry & Tom Bombadil? Sounds very interesting...
Tony Abrahams
30 Posted 17/01/2017 at 21:12:17
It's what the Italian journalists have had to say about Belfodil that intrigues me most Kristian. I don't think any of them have ever wrote him off as being shite and it's quite possible he might be made for English football.

Algerians are always technically very good, but I doubt very much they play the type of game that would suit a 6ft 4inch centre-forward and playing in the Belgium League might be the first time this kid, has ever played a style of football which might just suit his style.

Clive Mitchell
31 Posted 17/01/2017 at 21:27:57
Er... on the same evidence base as Will (#1), if this bloke ever signs for us and gets on the pitch, I don't expect it to be quickly obvious why we bought him. Isn't Aragorn a better player anyway?
Kristian Boyce
32 Posted 17/01/2017 at 21:30:17
I agree with you, Tony. If you look at the co-ownership deals he was involved in, they were all for decent money as well.

By the looks of him, he's a classic old-style English No 9. They were all the rage back in the 80's in Italy, but probably not so much now. The only player close to that now here is sicknote Carroll, and you would probably have to go back to Big Dunc's playing days to find one who was truly effective.

Michael (#28), sadly these days there's an agent for the player and sometimes one for the selling club and one for the buying club. Lots of fingers in a pie.

Zahir Jaffer
35 Posted 17/01/2017 at 22:55:00
He's a poor man's Chadli.
Bill Gienapp
36 Posted 18/01/2017 at 06:59:46
Like most, I don't really have a strong opinion on Belfodil one way or another. As a Walsh target, I'm definitely curious to see what he can do for us. But if negotiations become overly protracted and silly, we shouldn't be afraid to just walk away.
Patrick Murphy
37 Posted 18/01/2017 at 11:28:05
According to Royal Blue Mersey, Ronald Koeman has pulled the plug on the transfer of Belfodil.

Deal Off?

Mike Oates
38 Posted 18/01/2017 at 11:47:29
Henrotay has been the original agent for Fellaini, Mirallas, Lukaku and Henen and I suspect has an involvement via Everton for all Belgium transfers . It wouldn't surprise me if Everton had asked him to get involved and his Algerian agent has quite rightly got the hump as he see's his fees being diluted.
Tony J Williams
39 Posted 18/01/2017 at 12:41:06
Seems that he has been at more clubs than Marcus Bent... Beware?
Nigel Munford
40 Posted 18/01/2017 at 12:53:12
Just read on Royal Blue Mersey that Koeman has vetoed this one due to concerns about the guy's attitude and temperament.
Nigel Munford
41 Posted 18/01/2017 at 12:54:43
Beat me to it, Patrick.
Martin Nicholls
42 Posted 18/01/2017 at 13:11:22
Patrick and Mike – makes you wonder why we did not know of these character flaws earlier. Seems like agents pissing about may have helped us dodge a bullet that we should have seen coming.
Martin Nicholls
43 Posted 18/01/2017 at 13:12:20
Sorry – meant Patrick and Nigel!
Pat Waine
44 Posted 18/01/2017 at 13:16:11
Why is it, once there is an Arab involvement in transfers, they become protracted?
Paul Tran
45 Posted 18/01/2017 at 13:17:05
It's all a political game. The deal is a success, he's a 'character'. The deal falls though, he's 'trouble'. Possibly all a front to make us look like we're in control. Still got two weeks, move on to the next one.
Chris Williams
47 Posted 18/01/2017 at 13:58:32
Maybe these so-called character flaws are a load of lazy journalistic bullshit.

One of these so-called flaws was him snatching the ball off a team mate at a penalty, taking it himself and missing it. At least he scored from the rebound.

Sound familiar?

In any case, who cares? Believe it when it happens.

Trevor Lynes
49 Posted 18/01/2017 at 14:13:53
I do not automatically believe our side.

How many times over the past few windows have we been heavily involved then lost interest. Fer failed a medical according to us but hardly missed a game once signed. How on earth did the likes of Gibson pass a medical?

Brahimi was too expensive at £30 million yet we got £47½ million for Stones. Brahimi is a proven top class play maker with a proper pedigree whilst Stones is still a promising novice by comparison. This boardroom of ours have enough spin doctors to become Prime ministers.

I just hope these tactics do not sway Moshiri. I just do not blindly believe whatever is spouted in our media.

Gordon Crawford
50 Posted 18/01/2017 at 14:59:38
I'm happy to see this one passing bye. Nothing but negativity around this guy.
David Chait
51 Posted 18/01/2017 at 16:47:27
Nigel (#40)... just read that... (catching up).. and to be honest.. I would go with Koeman over Walsh any day of the week.

At the end, he also has to put the team out and needs to believe in those players.

Simon Davis
52 Posted 18/01/2017 at 17:22:50
Like many Evertonians, I am always interested in potential new acquisitions and foolishly subjected myself to the friendly between Standard Liege and Dortmund in Spain last week to run the rule over I Belfodil.

What Everton/ Walsh see in this player is beyond me. No pace – just a lumbering clod of a player (just the sort we like, I hear some say).

If we do acquire him, I would love to hear from Walsh as to what hidden qualities this man possesses because they sure as hell are not football related.

Joe Halligan
53 Posted 19/01/2017 at 15:28:23
The move is definitely off. Koeman has said he's decided against it because he only wants to add players of quality to the squad. In reality, he was only ever going to add to the numbers, so no loss.
Dave Abrahams
54 Posted 19/01/2017 at 15:41:54
David (51), I think Walsh has got to prove his value, as a top scout, to a lot of Everton fans, I don't know how good he is, but I'd never heard of him before last season when Leicester came from nowhere to win the league.

I hope he has got some good ones lined up to surprise us with in the future.


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