Sam resigned to Tal exit
23 Mar 2007 - 08:18:36
Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that he expects Tal Ben-Haim will leave the club in the summer.
The Israel international's Reebok Stadium contract expires at the end of this season, and he had been linked with a move to Chelsea in the January transfer window.
"We can't afford Tal anymore," said Allardyce.
"He will move on at the end of the season with my blessing and he will get a big club.
"What happened in January was disappointing because Chelsea made it aware they wanted him but then never made a bid of the significance that would have tempted me to let him go.
"Tal wanted to leave, which is understandable, but then all of a sudden Chelsea's funds appeared to have dried up so they wouldn't pay the kind of money that would have allowed us to sell him."
The 24-year-old has made 106 appearances for Bolton since his transfer to the club from Maccabi Tel Aviv in July 2004.