More Luque details revealed

In an intriguing revelation tonight it has emerged that Ajax actually paid us 8m Euros for Albert Luque, more than the original £2m-3m mooted at the time. It`s still only roughly half of what we paid for El Floppo but is a vast improvement on initial media estimates.

Luque himself is again making friends and influencing people over in Holland, with tunnel bust ups and the usual sniping at the tactics/coach/tea lady coming in true Spanish style. Luque said:

"I`ve been a fringe player since the team lost for the first time with me in the starting XI (3-1 at home against Breda, on December 2). I`ve been sitting on the bench for the best part of the last two months and I only play briefly.

Koster never told my anything. Our relationship is purely one of player and coach. I`ve been doing my best, I can`t do anything more. The coach decides. Should he find it necessary to give me an explanation, that would be OK. I`ve played out wide on the left for Deportivo in the UEFA Champions League, I`ve played behind the front two for Spain in a World Cup (in 2002) and I`m also capable of playing on the right or even as a centre-forward. I believe I can help my team in many ways.

I think that his decision to drop me is wrong. I`ll try to grab any chance that comes my way to make it back into the team. I`ll fight back and I want to cause no problems to the squad. I`m not that kind of guy. After all, I have a contract until mid-2010."