Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Newcastle, Spurs and England star Chris Waddle has given his assessment of Marcus Rashford and whether or not he can seal a permanent deal to Barcelona but warns the Englishman that any deal could be scuppered with his wage demands.
Waddle also discussed his former clubs on opposite ends of the scale including Sheffield Wednesday who are experiencing major financial issues which puts their future in jeopardy but also touches on the rise in fortunes for Bradford City and whether they can go back-to-back promotions.
Elsewhere, the former Premier League star praised former club Sunderland's start to the season but has tipped other promoted sides Leeds and Burnley to still be in a relegation battle come the end of the season and gives his perspective on the drama at the current managerial drama at Nottingham Forest.
Marcus Rashford
Could Rashford Make Switch To Barcelona Permanent?
A major hurdle in any potential signing could be the player's wages. Barcelona may not be willing to match Rashford’s current salary, creating a stumbling block as they typically don't pay that level of compensation. Barcelona is linked with many available players. It remains to be seen if they have another target for the left-wing or centre-forward positions or if someone else is lined up for the summer.
This season will be crucial for Rashford. He cannot afford to be inconsistent; he must perform exceptionally in every game as if it's a cup final to secure a deal with Barcelona. This is complicated by the transfer fees involved and his current lucrative contract, which Barcelona may be unwilling to pay.
The club might be thinking, ‘We're paying his wages, but we've saved a considerable amount on a transfer fee for a season. ‘If he performs exceptionally, scoring 20 goals and consistently earning man of the match, Barcelona would have no choice but to sign him. However, his current performances are merely ‘okay,’ not ‘unbelievable.’ As the season progresses, it's essentially a trial period for him.
He's attempting to secure a contract from a club that is interested but not fully committed. They might send him back if they have another player in mind. Most top players will quickly move to clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona, so Barcelona could have alternative plans.
Will Rashford Be At Barcelona Next Season?
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday
The issue is that the owner isn’t communicating. This is what truly bothers me. As professional footballers, players come and go. But for supporters, their football club is their life. You can't just switch allegiance. Fans are brought up supporting a club, attending games, buying season tickets, and merchandise. This owner shows no respect for them.
Sheffield Wednesday is a massive club that could collapse. Pundits and former players offer sympathy, but it's the fans who truly suffer. They work hard, and a significant portion of their wages goes towards supporting the club, often with their children, who will also grow up as fans. The club endures; players and staff can move on. But for those who have supported Sheffield Wednesday for 50 or 80 years, he shows a lack of respect.
I hope something is done to resolve the situation, even if it’s liquidation. As long as someone comes in and wants to make the club stable and ambitious, takes over.
What truly annoys me is his utter disrespect for these supporters who have paid wages, invested money, and bought season tickets, even when they were offered cheaply in January, just to inject funds into the club. He has little respect for the club's history or its supporters. It's not about the players; they play for wages and can cope with a missed month's pay. It's the supporters who are getting a raw deal.
There's talk of winding them up over a tax bill. Good or bad news, I hope this gets us closer to a solution. If it means relegation, so be it. Sheffield Wednesday is a big club with massive support and will bounce back. We just need to pray that the next owner isn't looking for a quick buck but has genuine plans for the club.
Bradford
Bradford
I was surprised by Bradford's start to the season. Teams promoted from League Two to League One often struggle due to budget constraints, making it hard to retain a strong squad. However, Bradford hit the ground running, using their promotion momentum and confidence. We've seen other promoted teams do well this year, like Wimbledon, although Doncaster are finding it tougher now.
That initial confidence and fitness are crucial. When you're full of the belief from promotion, you approach the new challenge with enthusiasm, and that momentum can continue. It will be challenging for Bradford to sustain this week in, week out, as League One is a tough league with many ambitious teams.
Most people would have initially thought staying up would be a success. Now, they'll be aiming for promotion. January could be key for them to bring in a couple of loan players or new signings to push on. Getting into the Championship would be a huge reward. I think if someone had told Bradford they'd be in the top six at Christmas, they would have laughed.
They're playing with confidence and have a real spirit about them, supported by fantastic fans. I spent six or seven months here and really enjoyed the great support. Bradford was a Premier League club not too long ago, and with their support, they absolutely deserve to be in the Championship.
Sunderland
Sunderland
Let's be honest, a lot of the players Sunderland signed were unknown, apart from Granit Xhaka. Xhaka has been unbelievable. He's a different player from what people remember at Arsenal. Leverkusen gave him the freedom to play, get on the ball, and he's continued that at Sunderland. When you have experienced players on the pitch, you can guide younger players.
They have the tempo, they've hit the ground running, and they don't look out of place. I watched them against Man United, where they lost, but they played OK and gave United a good game. The Stadium of Light will be a fortress for them because of the atmosphere. It's difficult to play there. They are on the front foot, with a lot of energy and young players. Xhaka is pulling the strings.
They've come out strong again after promotion, full of confidence. The majority of the promotion-winning team is on the bench. They've spent a lot of money, someone said £50 million, and if they stay up, it will have been worth it. Right now, you wouldn't put them in a relegation fight. Things can change in the Premier League, but they’ve let the manager spend the money, whether it was him or the chairman, and they went and got some players in. They've bought well, and all they need to avoid now are injuries.
Confidence is high, and they don't fear anyone. We know they have tough games against teams like Arsenal and Liverpool, and many teams have lost to Man United. But when you look at the bottom half of the division, they look comfortable. They don't look like a relegation team. We know the Premier League can be unforgiving, and things can change quickly. Injuries are a big factor.
Will they burn themselves out? Will they gradually decline around Christmas with the heavy program? There are a lot of things to still look at, but at this minute, you cannot fault what they've done. They've started the season unbelievably well.”
Relegation Battle
Relegation Battle
Wolves are very unpredictable. We know that. Matheus Cunha was a massive part of what they did last year, and they've missed him massively. As I've said, I watched Wolves last year, and you think they might win 3-2 or 4-3. You don't know what you're going to get. They concede goals, and if you concede goals, you've got a fair chance of losing games. Wolves do concede, so you can see why.
In January, they'll have to go all out and sign three or four players. That would be a different team. At the minute, you'd say Wolves are too unpredictable and give goals away. West Ham, I don't know what's going on there. They are just a disaster at the minute. Conceding goals, not really scoring, they’re going through managers.
West Ham are probably the biggest concern at the minute because they just don't look like they're going to get out of it. They don't look like they're going to score goals either. So, when you're not scoring goals or looking like you're scoring goals, you know your backs are up against the wall.
I still think Leeds and Burnley will be involved in the bottom relegation battle. I don't think that's going to be a problem. For Forest, the next manager is key. The chairman is very busy, making it very hard for a football club to run as organised as a manager. He seems to be a hands-on chairman, doesn't he? It's very difficult when you get one of them. So, whoever comes in, yes, there are people who think, ‘I want a job, I want a job, I want to work, I need a job.’ But I think if he's going to go for high-profile managers, a lot of them will be thinking, ‘I don't know if I want to work for a chairman (like him).’
Nuno Espírito Santo overachieved in my eyes. When Forest came up, I thought they were decent, but I didn't think they were going to be as good as they were. I thought this would happen this year, the second season. This happens to a lot of teams. So, Forest is a massive concern. He's going to have to get the right manager in.
Sean Dyche Return
Will Dyche Suit Nottingham Forest?
We know Sean Dyche likes to play quite direct, with organised football that doesn't have to be pretty. We can look back at Nuno's counter-attacking football, which brought him a lot of success. We know Ange plays on the front foot, which is a different style. We saw Tottenham get punished quite regularly in the Premier League, and it hasn't worked out for them.
The new manager has got to think about what suits the players, and what definitely suits them is counter-attacking football – that's where they have found joy. However, I watched the game against Chelsea, and they had a lot of chances; they could have beaten Chelsea. So Ange was unlucky to get the sack after that game. They definitely could have won.
Seven games is embarrassing. I feel for him, to be honest. To get rid of a manager after seven games is shocking. To bring a guy in, tell him to run the team and do things, and then not give him a chance, I'm a little bit disappointed for Ange, to be honest.
So whoever goes into the Forest job shouldn't just be thinking, ‘Can I get the football right?’ You've got to think about what's going on in the background. But Forest won't be short of candidates.
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