Stan Collymore discusses Alexander Isak and Marcus Rashford in his newest CaughtOffside column (Photograph through Serena Taylor/Newcastle United by the use of Getty Photographs, Stringer/Anadolu by the use of Getty Photographs, Jon Hobley/MI Information/NurPhoto by the use of Getty Photographs)
In his unique column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore discusses a few of soccer’s largest speaking issues, together with Alexander Isak’s choice to go away Newcastle amid Liverpool hobby, Marcus Rashford’s transfer to Barcelona, Arsenal’s pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres, and extra.
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Alexander Isak pursuit is appearing Liverpool’s ruthlessnessAlexander Isak celebrates scoring for Newcastle towards Chelsea (Photograph through Ed Sykes/Getty Photographs)
I will be able to best see Alexander Isak becoming a member of Liverpool if he does go away Newcastle, which is now anticipated. I feel this has been one thing that’s been ongoing most probably for twelve months or extra. I feel the expectancy from Newcastle was once that it was once going to be subsequent season that different golf equipment have been going to bid. A large number of enthusiasts will need him to be offered out of the country, however it doesn’t paintings like that. If the participant say that they’re going to down equipment except you let me move to this explicit membership, it’s very, very tough for the membership.
And naturally, golf equipment do it themselves. So there isn’t a membership that doesn’t let or not it’s recognized a 12 months out, once in a while two years out, that they would like a selected participant they usually’re keeping track of them they usually say all of the great issues for the agent. And if there’s a time and a spot one day that it could occur, we’d be greater than prepared.
I feel that what it does display, the larger tale here’s that the highest 5 or 6 groups within the Premier League have realised now that since the sheer quantity of targets which might be being created and scored within the Premier League. There are such a lot of targets being scored now that I feel that you’re, that each group, specifically the highest 4 or 5 groups, are vastly front-loaded of their ahead positions.
With Liverpool, I do know that there most probably can be some room for Diaz and or Nunez to head. However nonetheless, these days, in the event that they have been to get Isak around the line, you’ve were given Diaz, Gakpo, Nunez, Salah, Wirtz, Ekitike, and probably Isak. That’s six top-quality entrance gamers.
So for me, it simply says that Liverpool now are realising that in the event that they’re going to stick peak of the Premier League, in the event that they’re going to proceed to win Champions Leagues, however extra importantly, win home leagues within the method that Manchester Town have accomplished, they have got to simply accept that Guy Town, Guy United, Chelsea and Arsenal are going to proceed to spend as increasingly more cash pours into the Premier League. And I feel that FSG have realised that they’ve were given to do the similar.
The place do Newcastle opt for right here if Isak does go away?Eddie Howe and Newcastle gamers applaud their enthusiasts (Photograph through Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Photographs)
I feel that the tale for Newcastle is precisely the similar as the tale when Kevin Keegan had Andy Cole and the likes of Ginola and Asprilla and Alan Shearer. Sadly Newcastle enthusiasts received’t like this, however it has a grain of reality: till the doorways are blown off monetary truthful play, Newcastle isn’t a vacation spot for the easiest gamers on this planet. And it’s why I’m completely satisfied that someplace down the road there can be an English membership, like Newcastle, that bases its coaching flooring in London.
Newcastle are going to have to unravel an issue wherein gamers don’t need to reside within the North East of England. For those who’re a prime quality skilled footballer, it’s a goldfish bowl up there. As soon as you are making it to a definite degree there, everyone is aware of you. Everyone is aware of the place your actions are. And it’s no longer shut sufficient so as to move out and shuttle and be in London, like some gamers do.
I haven’t any doubt that during two decades’ time, Newcastle could have received Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues. However on this first segment, having their coaching advanced in London will make it more straightforward for gamers to wish to sign up for.
Guy United have misplaced out in Marcus Rashford dealMarcus Rashford in motion for Guy Utd towards Barcelona in 2023 (Photograph through David Ramos/Getty Photographs)
I feel this Rashford deal is deficient for Guy United. For a participant on the top of his profession that they’ve nurtured to perhaps best get £25m for him if Barcelona purchase him subsequent summer time, having paid an absolute arm and a leg in wages through the years, isn’t recompense in any respect.
For the participant, it’s moderately incredible. He had a deficient closing season at Guy United, is going to Aston Villa. Cameo appearances that weren’t specifically nice, however through the best way that Gary Lineker talks, you’d idea it was once Lionel Messi taking part in for Villa closing season.
For Barcelona, what do they get? They get a participant at the reasonable whose wages can be nowhere close to the £300k mark in the event that they have been to shop for him completely subsequent summer time. However they get the most productive of the deal, moderately merely, as a result of they’re going to get a participant that’s motivated to play for them. All that was once popping out in the course of the season closing season was once, Marcus Rashford received’t signal for Aston Villa completely as a result of he’s looking forward to Barcelona.
I feel the best tale here’s how gamers can successfully be so deficient for a few seasons, mainly, together with the mortgage at Villa, and nonetheless dictate the place they need to move to a membership that’s taking part in within the Champions League and arguably a number of the 4 or 5 largest golf equipment in the world. And I in finding that outstanding.
I feel that from a Barcelona viewpoint, it’s best as a result of they’re nonetheless popping out of that adverse monetary scenario that they have been in, in order that they have been doing a variety of wheeling and working within the closing 3 or 4 years. However Marcus Rashford, make no bones about it, he’s an excessively, very, very fortunate boy, as a result of if soccer had any good judgment, he would most probably be getting a transfer to Blackburn, Norwich or any other aspirational championship membership – on no account one of the vital peak 4 or 5 golf equipment on this planet.
Why weren’t the large Premier League golf equipment in for Evan Ferguson?ROME, ITALY – JULY 23: AS Roma new signing Evan Ferguson poses along with his new jersy at Centro Sportivo Fulvio Bernardini on July 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photograph through Fabio Rossi/AS Roma by the use of Getty Photographs)
I feel it’s moderately outstanding that Evan Ferguson, who remains to be best two decades of age, didn’t draw in extra consideration, particularly from Premier League golf equipment. I imply, he can nonetheless technically be observed as a building participant. I feel it simply is going to turn how shallow a few of these large golf equipment are, as they’d fairly purchase a confirmed scorer for £70-80m fairly than make their very own skill.
With Ferguson, he’s were given most probably a profession of 15 years forward of him, he’s a world already, he’s scored targets within the peak league within the Premier League already. All he wishes is a Liverpool, Guy United, Guy Town, Chelsea or Arsenal to return in and say we’ll take you. They are able to pay Brighton £30-40m, expand him, permit him to play for the U21s, U23s, stay him in and across the matchday squad, and train him the best way that we wish him to play as a centre ahead.
And I simply in finding it outstanding that those golf equipment scoff on the considered creating a participant that has undoubted skill and skill, that perhaps may play up entrance for them for the following 5, six, seven, 8 years.
The article that I in finding outstanding is that he’s been allowed to head out to Italy. And I wouldn’t be in any respect stunned if we’re no longer having a dialog in twelve months’ time that he’s had an absolute cracker of a season and the highest 5 or 6 golf equipment are taking a look at purchasing him for £55-60m. And that may be a discount as a result of he’d best be 21.
The large tale here’s that Premier League golf equipment are simply cherry choosing gamers off the tree as a substitute of having their head down and creating gamers like that at the training flooring. You call to mind Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot, Mikel Arteta, Thomas Frank, Unai Emery, Eddie Howe – between them, in the event that they haven’t were given the facility so as to trainer prime quality motion and working out and creating a recreation of Evan Ferguson, then none of them are the managers that they declare to be.
Brokers must no longer be as outstanding as they’re in footballViktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring for Carrying (Photograph through Gualter Fatia/Getty Photographs)
Ordinarily it might be that Arsenal desires the participant, on this case Viktor Gyokeres, they make an be offering to the membership, the membership say sure, you’ll be able to talk to the participant, they provide phrases to the participant, the participant says sure, and the price is finished. The truth that the agent, through not easy such a lot cash, could cause such a lot of headaches is solely baffling to me.
Why on earth was once the one factor probably that was once maintaining up the deal was once the dimensions of the agent’s charge? If the agent is having to mention publicly that he dropped his charge in order that the deal can get accomplished, then it will provide you with an concept of what number of offers will have to no longer get accomplished on account of the agent’s calls for. For me it’s in point of fact easy: they must be at the clock like legal professionals, they receives a commission a wage, and you notice their paintings audited.
Sure, there is a controversy that gamers receives a commission an excessive amount of, however they’re the celebrities of the display. They’re those that move out and carry out week in and week out in entrance of packed out crowds and sponsors, advertisers need to become involved within the product that’s the Premier League – brokers don’t. And I’m telling you currently {that a} in point of fact just right legal professional may get any participant in the market the similar deal that they have got with no need to pay them as much as £10 million. It’s completely ridiculous, and a shameful indictment on how a lot brokers are coming into this recreation.
Thomas Tuchel has to crystallise his England attacking optionsThomas Tuchel, supervisor of England, appears to be like on throughout the Premier League fit between West Ham United FC and Crystal Palace FC at London Stadium on January 18, 2025 in London, England. (Photograph through Justin Setterfield/Getty Photographs)
I might say in spaces that there are some gamers that are actually accomplished relating to England. I do know that Rashford was once introduced again through Tuchel, however I feel Jack Grealish is finished. I feel that I will be able to’t see him dressed in an England blouse once more. Additionally, I in my opinion wouldn’t pick out Rashford for England once more.
If I used to be Thomas Tuchel, I might be honing down at the gamers that I would like for my facet. It’s a for the reason that Harry Kane goes to be the quantity 9, and Ollie Watkins is most probably going to be his backup. For those who’re taking a look at Bukayo Saka on the upward push, then you definitely’re taking a look at one backup proper winger and also you’re taking a look at then at the left-hand facet.
I might play Cole Palmer at the left; he’s a winger for all intents and functions. Fail to remember the truth that he performs as a ten and he drops deep, and many others. He’s extremely left-footed participant and he can move previous other people conveniently. He would no longer be the primary participant in global soccer historical past to play one place for his membership and any other place for his country. I feel he must be simply informed moderately merely: play at the left, hug the touchline, move previous the full-back, put the go within the field. There’s not anything preventing you from drifting in and taking part in a one-two and scoring your targets. So for me, it might be Saka at the proper, Palmer at the left.
And the opposite two that I might be taking a look at are Eberechi Eze and Anthony Gordon. Once more, I feel they may be able to each play on all sides. Arguably, Eze at the left or at the proper may paintings, and I feel likewise with Gordon – he performs at the left for Newcastle, however I feel he may play at the proper as neatly.
It’s a in point of fact necessary season arising for Phil Foden, as a result of if he’s going to be an important to England transferring ahead, then the place is he going to play? Is he going to proceed to be the man that we stick at the left of a 3, or the precise of a 3, or as a host 10, and best get a couple of mins in every and he by no means will get to nail the placement down?
However for me, I feel that what it does is this season will crystallize Saka, Gordon, Eze, Palmer because the choices through the facet of Harry Kane. We will be able to in any case dispense with any communicate of Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford particularly.
