Patrick Lefebvre has already made it clear that he is not looking to sign Chris Froome, but even if he were, the manager of Detuning Quick-Step does not think the four-time Tour de France winner is worth the investment ...

Writing in the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad (opens in new tab), Lefebvre cited Froome's 35 years of age and the fact that he believes Froome's wife is his agent, although not accurately.

Froome's contract expires at the end of this year and, as Cycling News revealed last month, he is considering a move away from Team Ineos. Negotiations are ongoing and a decision is expected by the end of the month.

"I don't mean to speak for others here, but I personally am no longer invested in projects around Frum. I respect his skills, but will he still win the Tour at 35?

"What also concerns me about Froome is that his manager is his wife Michelle Cound. Not to immediately break the ice, but such a partnership would only lead to unhappiness. Abraham Olano's contract required him to go through Mapei through his then-wife.

"The same goes for the brothers who act as agents. Such was the case with Oscar Freire and Alberto Contador. At Quick Step, I once sat around a table with his brother Fran Contador. Alberto himself was not present, but Fran had invited his lawyer. One did not speak English and the other did not speak French, so their conversation was uneventful. I found this embarrassing for Fran de Kock, who is accustomed to doing business at a high level. Alberto Contador never ran on our team.

The team that appears to be chasing Frum's signature is Israel Startup Nation, and Lefebvre also revealed in his column that their owner came close to buying Quick Step.

Israel Startup Nation took over the license of the disbanded Katusha-Alpecin team to compete on the World Tour this year, but was eager to do so sooner.In 2018, Lefebvre met with owner Sylvain Adams in London twice He met twice and planned a takeover, but was shelved when a new sponsor was found from Deceuninck.

"We were very close to a deal. We had an agreement on the acquisition price, the bike manufacturer, the riders, and the team management. I myself could stay with the team for at least three more years. However, we found a sponsor with Deceuninck, so that project was cancelled," Lefebvre wrote.

"Such conversations took place in strictest confidence, even with an official confidentiality agreement in place. As the story of Mitchelton Scott and Manuela Fundacion proves, such acquisitions are sensitive matters.

"I learned that Adams is a very ambitious man and has the financial wherewithal to realize his plans. He wants to be at the top of the cycling world as soon as possible. For the time being - and I don't want to be too negative - it's still kind of a gathering. They don't have a clear identity yet, they don't have a project. Even if I sign on as a rider there, I don't expect to find a "home" anytime soon."

"I don't think I'll be able to find a home in the cycling world anytime soon.