Coucke: "Vanhaezebrouck put everything on Sanneh"

INTERVIEWS Bubacar Sanneh is the sign of last year's failed transfer summer. The Purple & White paid eight million euros, but he barely plays. In Van Gils & Gasten, chairman Marc Coucke explained how the transfer happened. "Vanhaezebrouck only wanted him or another, but he was much more expensive."


"According to that ex-coach (referring to Vanhaezebrouck, ed.), The chairman forced him on Sanneh. The thing is: We needed an extra central defender. Our scouting, which was very neglected, and the sporting director came with five names. The coach chose two names from them. Those three others: no way. "

"Sanneh was one of those two. The other was someone from the French second division. The asking price of both was twelve million euros. We tried to talk to the coach about those three others, but he didn't want them. However, there was someone there who now plays every match in Ligue 1 and is half of the times man of the match. "

"Vanhaezebrouck had no alternatives"

"At a certain point, Sanneh's price drops and we let our offer rise," Coucke continues. "When we offered six million euros, that coach said for the first time it was getting a little expensive. But he had no other names and we needed a central defender. The other one was still twelve million. On the last day of the transfer period, Sanneh's asking price dropped from ten to eight million euros. "

"We asked the coach again about those other names, but he only wanted one of those two. The other one was still twelve million euros. At that time I didn't want to come to the supporters without an extra central defender. So we bought him. Is is that my fault? It's the coach's right to want that player, but then you don't have tell otherwise afterwards. "

Coucke doesn't want to throw a stone to Sanneh himself. "You may not give that player the stamp now forever. He would have preferred to come for three million euros," the chairman concludes.