Will the last one out turn off the lights?

By: Chris | August 21st, 2008

HSV management have hinted that Vincent Kompany was close to wearing out his welcome in Hamburg. Looks like his tantrum about returning early from the Olympics has finally done it.

UPDATED: My thanks for Jan for pointing out that Monzon is a left back and not a central defender as I erroneously wrote.

Vince has been fondly referred to in this space (repeatedly) as “Da Man” despite his penchant for sulking and pouting like a little kid. He butted heads last season with ex-manager Huub Stevens and was not only benched but was suspended for a match, and has kept up his ways under Martin Jol, mainly by refusing to return from the Olympics, even though HSV and the Belgian FA had an agreement that Kompany would return after Belgium’s second match. The club have finally grown tired of his petulance and have accepted a bid of €13.8m from Manchester City. Here’s the statement from the club and details from Goal.com. HSV paid Anderlecht €10m for Kompany back in 2006, so they are making a little money on the deal in the end.

Wow. Good move for City, who have long been looking for help in the back, but what are HSV thinking selling their best central defender? Well, the good news is we have his replacement more depth on the way–rising star Luciano Fabian Monzon of Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors. Monzon is a left back who will ostensibly replace Atouba. He is presently on Olympic duty and is set to travel directly to Europe from China following Argentina’s gold medal match with Nigeria on 23 August. Heads-up, here comes a rant . . . I understand that Kompany has been acting like a spoiled child, but if you’re going to get rid of a defender and bring in a stud, WHY NOT ATOUBA?! (Well, because we don’t have an offer for him ) Props to Martin Jol and Didi Beiersdorfer for moving quickly to remove a potential cancer in the dressing room and getting some cash in return–AND lining up a great replacement. My only other question is timing: Sure City wanted to do the deal ASAP, but Hamburg suddenly have a dearth of healthy bodies at defense (with both Jerome Boateng and Bastian Reinhardt now out for 2-3 weeks), could HSV not have done the deal next week (at the deadline) so we could have SOMEBODY healthy and talented in defense for the next 2 matches?