Speaking exclusively with BoyleSports, England icon Stuart Pearce has shared his insights on the buzzing Premier League transfer market, highlighting Morgan Gibbs-White’s potential move from Nottingham Forest.
The former England under-21 manager also discussed the strategic transfer dealings of clubs like Newcastle and Spurs, praising their acquisitions while emphasising the importance of retaining key talents like Callum Hudson-Odoi to maintain squad strength .
Wissa’s Missed Opportunity
There’s no doubt Manchester United and Arsenal would have been looking at Yoane Wissa. It’s whether he fits their potential and what they need in recruitment. When you look at the season he had last year, he was magnificent.
The goals he’s delivered while playing with width and playing down the middle as well. That’s a major asset for any football club. The fact that Nottingham Forest have moved the odd player on recently, along with other sides in the division, you would think that by the time the season starts, he might well have moved on.
Gibbs-White’s Exit Rumours
Is Morgan Gibbs-White heading for the exit door at Nottingham Forest? I think so. I think once there’s talk of Morgan Gibbs-White having a fee in his contract that opens up a conversation, it would suggest that other teams will be aware.
If Gibbs-White arrives at Tottenham, does that mean James Maddison might be on the move? Potentially. But what I would say is that Gibbs-White has been magnificent for Forest for a few years. When he hasn’t played particularly well, it’s coincided with a dip in Forest’s form.
His ability to not just lead from the front and score goals and create, he works really hard for the team defensively as well. He has bags of energy and puts in the yards. To be fair, if it doesn’t happen, him going to Tottenham, there’s every chance that someone else will get involved in that situation.
I wouldn’t rule Newcastle out if I’m being quite honest. It would make them heavy in the midfield area, but what it would also do is give them some fantastic options as a team.
Nwaneri’s Arsenal Future
You want your young players to get through and break into the first team. An absolute master of it was Alex Ferguson, who used to put youngsters into his first team at Manchester United, increase their value and move them on if he thought they weren’t going to be up to a standard.
Ethan Nwaneri has got a big reputation. I was a little bit disappointed with him this summer for the under-21s. I was expecting him to get regular starts in that side and do particularly well. But he ended up being a bit part player at that tournament.
I’ve seen it many times with players. The reputation’s very big when they break in because there’s no pressure on them, really. If Arsenal don’t think he is to the standard that they’re looking for, he needs to go and play regularly, wherever that may be. Make sure that the move is the right move to get in first-team football regularly, like Cole Palmer.
Nwaneri to Newcastle?
Ethan Nwaneri to Newcastle? If I was advising the player, I would advise him to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place for another year because of his age.
Or alternatively, go to a club that you’re not gambling on whether you’re going to get in the first team or not. What he needs to do is play 30-plus games next season and be a regular starter.
I’m not sure that at Newcastle he’d get those 30 starts, we’re not talking about 30 games coming off the bench. That is key for the correct move for him.
Antony’s Premier League Struggles
Based on what I’ve seen in the Premier League solely from Antony, he’s not got enough goals or enough assists. If I was a manager in the Premier League, I wouldn’t be looking to recruit him, especially when United are going to want a fair few million for him, I would suspect.
I think maybe he enjoys football a little bit more on the continent. If I were him, I would probably try and stay in Europe somewhere rather than the Premier League.
Elanga’s Newcastle Move
I’m really disappointed that Nottingham Forest have let Anthony Elanga go. £55million is really good for Newcastle, going by what he did last year. The way Newcastle play, with a really expansive counter-attack sort of thing, he will suit them brilliantly.
He gives them another option to Anthony Gordon on one side and Jacob Murphy on the other. I think he’s a fantastic acquisition, and I think Newcastle have nailed that one.
Forest fans are really disappointed to see him leave the club. Whatever the thought process was there, I think Newcastle have got an outstanding player for their squad.
Hudson-Odoi’s Forest Stay
Nottingham Forest cannot afford to sell Callum Hudson-Odoi, with Anthony Elanga going. You’ve got to understand the mentality of the fans as well. If they think we’ve had a brilliant season last year, we’ve got European football, and then all of a sudden, your best stars start walking out the door.
I don’t think that’s acceptable, really. I’d rather have sold Callum Hudson-Odoi over Anthony Elanga personally, but with Elanga going, you can’t afford to lose Hudson-Odoi as well. I’d do everything I could to hang on to him. They need to add to what they’ve got.
Calvert-Lewin’s Newcastle Fit
I think it’s really dangerous when you’re talking about footballers and turning around and saying they don’t have to play week in week out as a back-up option. I cannot play week in week out nowadays, you know what I mean? But I think Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be really fortunate if he got a club of the magnitude of Newcastle or a club of that size based on what he’s done over the last two years.
I think he’s led the line, but he’s not scored goals. He’s been available for a fraction of games, so I think he’s very fortunate, but he needs consistency of playing, that is for sure.
Whether teams are going to be prepared because there is no price tag here, albeit you’re still going to pay high wages. Whether they’re going to take the chance on his fitness, I’m not sure. That’s down to individual managers, but he’ll have options. There is no doubt about that. A fully fit, fully firing Calvert-Lewin is certainly an addition to have on your roster, that is for sure.
Marc Guehi’s Top Club Appeal
I love Marc Guehi, and I think he’s now England’s first defender on the team sheet. I think he’s probably a better international centre-half than he is a Premier League centre-half, but he’s low maintenance. Looking at him, he plays with real consistency, and he reads the game well.
For me, I would be looking to get him out of Crystal Palace if he’s available. If I’m Manchester United, if I’m Newcastle, if I’m another team of that ilk, I will be looking to take him all day long because I think he’s an outstanding talent personally. Even if you’re Liverpool, to have him Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, wow, I would take him all day long.
I think what he does really well is he reads the game when the ball is at the other end of the pitch. For counterattacks and things like that, as I’ve seen with England, you might not, you might have the ball for a long period of time, and you need a central defender continually reading the game and having the pace to get his team out of trouble on the counterattack. I think he serves that purpose. If I was Liverpool, if I was Newcastle, all of those teams, I’d be all over him to try and sign him.
Kudus’ Spurs Switch
From West Ham’s point of view, he’s been one of the bright sparks over the last couple of years. There’s no doubt about that. But I think it’s a good acquisition for Spurs. They really do need to rebuild a little bit after the season they had last year, albeit they got a bit of silverware, but the league campaign was awful.
They need to be better. I think it might end up being a good move for both clubs, but West Ham have got to reinvest that money and bring players in and make sure the likes of Jarrod Bowen don’t leave the club.
Bet on Football Odds at BoyleSports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
Remember, Always Gamble Responsibly.
