[19
JUL 99] COVENTRY CITY FC NEWS
Hadji Completes Sky Blues Record DealCoventry
City today completed the £4 million club record signing of Moroccan star Mustafa Hadji
from the Spanish club Deportivo de la Coruña.
The midfielder, who starred for his country in the World Cup in France, passed a
medical before signing to link up with his international team mate Youssef Chippo who
joined from FC Porto in a £1 million deal last month.
Coventry’s chairman Bryan Richardson described Hadji as the most exciting signing
ever made by the football club.
The player responded that he was very impressed with the atmosphere at Coventry City
and with manager Gordon Strachan.
Hadji, who signed a four year deal said:
"I am impressed with Mr Strachan. We talked football and I know he was a big star
in this country because I saw him play on television."
Hadji’s favourite position is ‘in the hole’ behind the two front
runners, but he says:
"I do not know where Mr Strachan wants me to play. I have to work hard to get a
place in the team."
Hadji flew into England to take his medical at Coventry’s training camp today and
then returned to Spain. He will be back with his wife and young son to link up with his
new team mates in training on Friday.
The chairman said:
"He is a very exciting player and I think this is the most exciting signing this
club has ever made.
"It was hard work persuading Deportivo to release him because they did not want to
let him go. They drove a hard bargain because they did not want to sell him.
"Of course we thought hard about the size of the fee, but he is a proven player.
He has done well at his three clubs Nancy in France, Sporting Lisbon and Coruña and he
has played in the champions league as well as the World Cup Finals.
"When you have a proven player who wants to play for you, then it is less of a
risk paying out that sort of fee."
Coventry City completed their successful German tour
with an 8-1 thrashing of Weinshein.
City won every match on the four game trip, including an
impressive win over Karlsruhe, and finished off in style last night before flying home
this morning.
The goals came from Steve Froggatt (2), Darren Huckerby,
Gary McAllister, George Boateng, Noel Whelan, Trond Soltvedt as well as an own goal.
Manager Gordon Strachan has expressed his delight at the
tour in general praising the training facilities and conditions along with the performance
and professionalism of his players.
When they return on Wednesday the players will face another
rigorous set of warm-up games starting with a match away to Birmingham City on 24 July.
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