On this day: agent warns Portsmouth over Andres D'Alessandro move

On this day in 2006, Andres D'Alessandro's agent warned Pompey to hurry up and sign the player – or risk losing him.
Andres  D'AlessandroAndres  D'Alessandro
Andres D'Alessandro

At the time, the midfielder was expected to be named in Argentina’s World Cup squad.

And his agent Barry McIntosh said D’Alessandro’s worth would rocket if he shone in Germany.

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Pompey were mulling over D’Alessandro’s wage demands, believed to be in the region of £25,000 a week.

Wolfsburg wanted £4m for the then 25-year-old, who was key to Pompey’s Premiership survival during three months on loan.

D’Alessandro’s representative, McIntosh, said: ‘The ball is in Portsmouth’s court, because Andres wants to play for them.

‘We’ve told them what we want, and are waiting to hear back. We cannot force the issue.

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‘Portsmouth have the first option, and we would like to honour that option. But we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. There are other clubs interested.

‘We’re confident Andres will be in Argentina’s World Cup squad. And when he’s there, he has only to score a goal or two for the situation to change.

‘We would have liked the deal with Portsmouth sorted out before Andres went back to Argentina on Monday. But the longer the situation is left the more difficult it will become.

'Right now, we have a window of opportunity where Andres is hot about the club.’

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McIntosh denied speculation D’Alessandro would join Pompey only once he had seen other classy players signed.

He added: ‘Like any ambitious player, Andres would like to see quality players arrive in the summer.

'He is an even better player with better players around him.

‘But a player cannot dictate to a manager who to sign. Andres is not waiting to see who Harry Redknapp signs.

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‘He knows the manager is ambitious and wants to make the right signings to push the club towards a European place.’

D’Alessandro never made it into head coach Jose Pekerman’s 23-man Argentian squad for the 2006 World Cup.

The midfielder also never made it back to Pompey – instead joining Real Zaragoza on loan before a permanent move in 2007.

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