TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR GOALKEEPER Brad Friedel says that his club have strengthened since Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid for €100 million.
The American thinks that André Villas-Boas and chairman Daniel Levy have reinvested the huge transfer fee intelligently, leaving Spurs in a much better position to challenge for trophies.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Friedel said:
“It’s not always that a manager and a board can turn what could have been a massive negative, losing someone like Gareth Bale, into a massive positive.
Losing a player like Bale would normally make your squad weaker, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think our squad is stronger for it.”
Friedel highlighted the contributions of Moussa Dembélé and the impact of Paulinho as being important in midfield so far this season, but stressed that new signing Christian Eriksen has impressed him most of all.
“Eriksen is one of those special players. He’s got that vision, eyes in the back of his head it seems, and he is a true No.10.”
While Bale attempts to adapt to La Liga and Real Madrid, Villas-Boas’ men have made a strong start to the Premier League season. Spurs sit second in the table after four wins in five games and having conceded just a single goal.
It’s still early to judge whether Friedel will regret his assertion that losing the Welshman has actually made Spurs a better team, but the signs so far are positive.
