Lunatic Steaua București owner Gigi Becali has pulled the plug on Tottenham Hotspur's proposed move for defender Vlad Chiricheș from his prison cell.
The 23-year-old had appeared to be on the verge of a €8million move to White Hart Lane, with his agent Ioan Becali confirming that "the deal is 99 percent done."
But the move has now been scuppered after the Romanian supremo was infuriated by Spurs' desire to rush the transfer through.
Becali's blood was sent boiling after Tottenham were unwilling to wait for Steaua to complete the deal after their Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Tbilisi on August 6.
According to Steaua's General Manager Mihai Stoica, Becali reacted furiously and called club staff from his cell to break off all negotiations with the Londoners.
"Who are Tottenham?! Do not do any transfer, my name is Gigi Becali, I'm not a slave to anybody!" Romanian newspaper ProSport quotes Becali as saying to Stoica.
"We have an important game in the Champions League, why can't they wait?
"Until winter he will not leave under any circumstances. This could be a blow to Chiricheș, but he should understand. He owes a lot to Steaua. Things are good, we are in qualifying for the Champions League. We are in good shape.
"(Tottenham) made a big mistake. They sparked anger in Gigi."
Becali is a former Member of the European Parliament and has also been an MP in Romania, but is currently serving a three-year prison term for abuse of power and his role in a land exchange case.
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| Steaua București owner Gigi Becali is a controversial and outspoken politician in Romania Photo: Rompres |
The 23-year-old had appeared to be on the verge of a €8million move to White Hart Lane, with his agent Ioan Becali confirming that "the deal is 99 percent done."
But the move has now been scuppered after the Romanian supremo was infuriated by Spurs' desire to rush the transfer through.
Becali's blood was sent boiling after Tottenham were unwilling to wait for Steaua to complete the deal after their Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Tbilisi on August 6.
According to Steaua's General Manager Mihai Stoica, Becali reacted furiously and called club staff from his cell to break off all negotiations with the Londoners.
"Who are Tottenham?! Do not do any transfer, my name is Gigi Becali, I'm not a slave to anybody!" Romanian newspaper ProSport quotes Becali as saying to Stoica.
"We have an important game in the Champions League, why can't they wait?
"Until winter he will not leave under any circumstances. This could be a blow to Chiricheș, but he should understand. He owes a lot to Steaua. Things are good, we are in qualifying for the Champions League. We are in good shape.
"(Tottenham) made a big mistake. They sparked anger in Gigi."
Becali is a former Member of the European Parliament and has also been an MP in Romania, but is currently serving a three-year prison term for abuse of power and his role in a land exchange case.
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