Celtic fans will remember Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as a legendary striker who gave Premier League defenders nightmares.
The Dutch striker was lethal in English football firing in goals for Leeds United and Chelsea in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
However, the legendary forward had contract struggles whilst at Leeds United and speaking about that time he revealed how a former Celtic player came in to replace him on more money than he was asking for from the Premier League club.
And the story has ex-Celtic man Roy Keane and The Overlap panel in tears.
Ex-Celtic man Mark Viduka’s £40,000 per week Leeds salary has Roy Keane in tears
Hasselbaink was explaining how he wanted to stay at Leeds but his contract demands were not being met.
Hasselbaink said on Stick to Football, “That year, we finished fourth in the league.”
Ian Wright: “How many goals did you get?”
JFH: “Champions League. I was the top scorer with Dwight York and Michael Owen.”
Roy Keane: “So you thought you were in a good bargaining position, obviously?”
JFH: “Yeah, of course. So I asked for 30 [thousand pounds per week]. They said, no. I said, OK, no problem.
Let’s kick on. Let’s kick on. I’m not signing.
“They said, no, no, we offer you this. I said, no, I don’t want that.”
Neville: “How far were you away? What were they offering?”
JFH: “I signed for 12, 13, 14 ,15 [thousand pounds per week]. That’s what I signed for. A four-year contract. And I played two years. And my signing on fee was in the 12k [per week].
“So I said, okay, no problem. Let’s go, let’s kick on. They said, no, no, no, no, no, Jim. We have to protect our asset.”
“In a year’s time, you’re not gonna be worth as much as you are now, because you will have one year left. So, okay, give me what I want.”
Wright: “So you wanted to stay, Jim?”
JFH: “I wanted to stay. Give me what I want. No, you’re not getting that. I never refused to play, never refused to play.
“Because I said, okay, I’ve got a contract, I’ll play. And I’ll still do my best. Because I’m 25 at the time, I’m thinking, if I’m gonna play, I’m gonna play. Okay, not what I want, but I back myself.
Roy Keane: “Was that a good way to negotiate when you said to a club, I want this or nothing? Is there any negotiation where you go, it’s like every other, it’s like every other deal you got, I want that and you try and meet somewhere in the middle.”
JFH: “No, they didn’t want to negotiate. They said, no, it’s this. So that’s why I’m saying he didn’t fancy me. He wanted somebody else and fine.”
Neville: “Who did he sign when you left?”
JFH: “I think he signed Viduka, didn’t he? On 40 grand [per week].
Wright: “He went for like £10m, I think, from Celtic.
JFH: “Yeah, from Celtic. Unbelievable.”
At that point the whole Overlap panel was in tears over the story as Hasselbaink moved on to Atletico Madrid on a big contract.
When Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink ‘really tried’ to join Celtic
The legendary Dutch striker did come close to joining Celtic once during his illustrious career.
Back in 2006, Gordon Strachan tried to sign Hasselbaink when he was leaving Middlesbrough when his agent revealed on the BBC, “One thing is for sure is we did all we can to do it and Gordon Strachan also tried his best to get Jimmy. It was a move both parties wanted.
“But we were not able to come to an agreement so that is the end of it.
“Jimmy really tried to go there and was really willing to get his wages to a level we both thought would make that possible but we were not able to reach an agreement.
“We have three Premiership clubs interested in him and we will be speaking to them now.”
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