Fulham boss Jean Tigana believes he has a squad good enough to play in the Premiership right now.
After £2 million Andrejs Stolcers finally earned a work permit yesterday, the manager has shelved plans to add to his current roster.
More remarkably, Tigana, who was renowned as being mean with money when he was at Monaco, winced when discovered Charlton boss Alan Curbishley had claimed a promoted club needed £15 million to win anything in the top flight.
Far from splashing the cash, the Fulham boss amazingly thought he might even get some pleasure in selling some of his developing stars for a profit.
He said: “I like to buy young players and sell them for big money.
“I did that at Monaco, although I might have to change my point of view at the top level when we play teams like Manchester United.
“Even if the Chairman gave me £20m, it’s more than a possibility I would sit on it if I already have the players I need.”
As Fulham sit nine points clear of second-place Birmingham, Tigana admitted the £6.3m he has already grudgingly parted with has been spent on players who will almost certainly feature in Fulham’s return to the elite for the first time in 22 years.
He said: “I bought Louis Saha, John Collins and now Stolcers because they were good enough as Premiership players.
“But now is not the time to relax.
“Supporters might get more pleasure if we beat Liverpool on Wednesday than if we beat, say Stockport – but not me.
“I am never really going to be happy before we have reached the last match of the season.”
As Saha goes for goal number 21 at West Brom this Saturday, the striker with the Midas touch has been tipped by Tigana to take over from the likes of Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka in the French national side.
The manager has a huge influence with the world and European champions federation, but revealed his first Fulham buy was a player with problems two years ago.
He said “When Louis was at Newcastle he was on his own, now he has his girlfriend with him in London.
“He also needed to change his lifestyle when he came to Fulham.
“What he ate and how he lived might have put him behind the development of Henry, Anelka and others.
“Louis has some catching up to do but if he takes it step by step he has the potential to play for France.”
Source fulham cronicle