Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock will struggle to keep hold of prized asset Adel Taarabt, after a number of scintillating performances this season.
In truth, it has been a long time coming, but the Moroccan international has finally found his form under Warnock’s guidance, and how the Championship leaders have reaped the rewards.
Taarabt first arrived in England at the tender age of seventeen with Tottenham Hotspur winning the race for the sought after signature of a player who already had a growing reputation.
Upon his arrival his then agent Rudy Raba modestly proclaimed, “In France it is simple, he is considered as the new Zidane.
“He is exceptional, he is one of the most talented young players in France, perhaps the most”. No pressure then.
Martin Jol
On the ball I don’t think there’s another talent like him in England
Not long after, former Spurs manager Martin Jol compared Taarabt to Tottenham legend David Ginola, labeling the player ‘a wizard’. Jol told the Daily Mail, “On the ball I don’t think there’s another talent like him in England”.
But for all the promise, things didn’t work out for Taarabt at Tottenham who grew frustrated with an immensely skillful young player with absolutely no ability to implement his skills meaningfully in the Barclays Premier League.
Current Spurs manager Harry Redknapp took the difficult decision to move Taarabt on, initially on loan to QPR, who then decided they had seen enough to part with £1million last summer to bring him to Loftus Road permanently.
The Metro newspaper last week quoted Redknapp saying that Taarabt’s current form could see him get the sack for letting him leave for such a nominal fee.
It is now believed that a number of leading Barclays Premier League clubs are courting the magic-man, now 21, but the cost of his services now might not be so modest.
Newcastle are said to have offered £5million up front to take him to St James’ Park, but Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are also said to be keeping an eye on the situation.
Arsene Wenger was a whisker away from bringing him to Arsenal the first time around, when Taarabt opted for their North-London rivals on the advice of then Tottenham director Damien Comolli.
Now employed as the Liverpool director of football strategy, Comolli is once again thought to be closely monitoring the starlet, whose addition would serve as evidence of new Reds owners fulfilling their pledge to bring exciting young talent to Anfield.
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