Michael Laudrup Quotes

I would have been happy to play in Holland for a big club, but I can see the point of selling me to an English club. It's very simple: Dutch clubs are not going to spend £16m on a player like me.

I've played for England Under-21s, in the Under-20 World Cup and I've been part of the play-offs in the Championship. But in terms of helping my career and getting me ready, going to Cheltenham Town was a massive experience.

For a young player like me, it is good to play for a club that can get to the semi-finals because one of the reasons I play football is for these big games.

I've enjoyed my time in the game, whether it be managing Luton in the top flight, taking Spurs to Wembley or, as director of football, pinpointing players such as Jermain Defoe, Paul Robinson and Robbie Keane with real sell-on value.

The manager sits down with me; I sit down with the board. We assess the success of the year. The manager assesses whose coming through the academy system. His job is to look at what is happening in European and world football.

I don't know if I'll end my career here. Perhaps by the time I am 33, Lazio will be so successful that they need more important players than me.

If I'm forced to leave West Ham, it will be done according to the rules - the club will have its share of the cake.

It's hard to compare the faith of Gareth Southgate and Roy Hodgson and my lack of chances at Chelsea because it's such a big club.

Of course, becoming champions is something we all want, but I think that the best 'championship' for a manager is to see players like Koke, Lucas Hernandez, Angel Correa - lads who have come up from all the way down in the lower divisions - become professionals of a high standard.

It is nice to be the most expensive Dutchman, and it is nice for my agent and for Ajax. But it does not matter to me whether I cost €5m or €150m or €200m. I just need to make sure that I do my own thing.

I was very young at Manchester United, and I feel that I was just starting to find my feet when I was sold and Rooney was brought in.

I am not a mercenary. Milan was my home. They made a good deal, though. They signed me for 10 million euros and sold me for 42 million euros.

You have expectations always when you buy players. Mostly, you have positive expectations.

It is clear that whenever you receive offers, or there are talks about interest of other clubs, it's because you are doing well at your club.

As far as I know, Mr. Watzke has not said he would sell me if somebody offered 100m. He has emphasised that the club would like to continue working with me. The club is just greedy for success - and so am I.

At Everton, we have always tried to do good deals and have always tried to buy at the right age and the right price.

I want to go to a team that really wants me and can use me to be successful.

At 21, Real Madrid or Barcelona would have been more difficult for me. If I play well enough at Chelsea, I could win my place in the starting team, and my priority is to play.

Roma must have been mad to sell Mo Salah. Either that or they really needed the money.

When you've got money to spend, it's very easy to buy someone worth £50m rather than say, 'I'm going to play this 20-year-old English player.' It's easier to buy someone when you have the money to do it. But at the same time, if you give somebody an opportunity, you never know. You can only roll the dice and see how they perform.

For me, the youth academy has a fundamental role in every club.

If you look at most youngsters, they have worked well under Van Gaal. I had never heard of Thomas Muller at Bayern Munich before Van Gaal managed him, and he's now one of the best players in the world.

Initially when I was looking to enter football I was looking at clubs in Italy or France or Spain, a mid-table club where I could develop players and eventually sell them.

It's my belief that Barcelona are successful because they have a number of youth teams alongside the first team. They are where it begins.

Of course money is important - to say it is not in football would be a lie. But to find a good player with potential for a small amount of money and then to develop him in the group is a great pleasure for a manager and for a club.