Berbatov imperative to Fulham, says Jol

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes Dimitar Berbatov is already the club’s ‘biggest player’.

The striker joined the London side from Manchester United just before the end of the transfer window and marked his full debut with two goals in the Cottagers’ 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

“The big difference for him is that he knows, if he is fit, then he will play a lot of games,” Jol told reporters.

“He’s an important part of our set-up, of course. He’s probably our biggest player.

“At Manchester United, which of course is a bigger club, it was maybe different in the last year or so.”

The 56-year-old originally brought Berbatov to England in 2006 when signing him for Tottenham, and has now re-united with the Bulgarian at Craven Cottage.

Berbatov had fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the rise to prominence of Danny Welbeck and the arrival of Robin van Persie but the Fulham boss had no doubts about signing him.

“Don’t forget that Dimitar was the top scorer wherever he played,” Jol said.

“In Germany for Leverkusen, he was top scorer. He did the same at Spurs. He was ahead of all the other players, like Robbie Keane, (Jermain) Defoe.

“Then he went to Manchester United. He was their top scorer and, of course, they trusted him over there because he was their top scorer.

“If you sign someone, you trust him. Otherwise, you’d better leave it. So I think all these managers who signed him, they trusted him.”

Jol revealed how he had initially convinced Berbatov to join him at White Hart Lane instead of following up interest from Serie A.

“He had other options at that time and he still made that decision to come to us, to me, to Tottenham,” the Dutchman continued.

“So I think that is the sort of relationship I’ve got with him because there was probably even a bigger club then coming in for him and he still wanted to come to Spurs.

“But we shouldn’t stretch our imagination and I think Berbatov could have gone to Italy.

“He was on the fringe of going to an Italian club, and then I spoke to him and maybe that convinced him.

“If he plays well like he did the other day, there will always be a good relationship.”