Stephy Mavidid believes former Tottenham Hotspur starlet Marcus Edwards may be an England international in the near future, speaking to LiveSport about the new Sporting Lisbon winger.
When Mauricio Pochettino compared the Enfield-born whizzkid to none other than Lionel Messi in 2016, the Spurs boss couldn’t have imagined that such a comparison would probably do more harm than good.
Edwards was just 17 at the time, pushing for a place in Tottenham’s first-team plans.
But it’s only now, six years on, that the former England U20 international is starting to live up to those sky-high expectations.
A move to Portugal, with Vitoria Guimaraes, handed Edwards the fresh start he needed after failing to make the grade in the Premier League.
After thriving at the Estadio Alfonso Henriques, reigning Primeira Liga champions Sporting Lisbon jumped at the chance to snap up the now-23-year-old whizzkid on deadline day, paying a cool £14 million.
And Mavididi, the one-time Arsenal youngster who played alongside Edwards in England’s youth teams, believes it’s only a matter of time before Tottenham’s one-that-got-away is making headlines back home again.
Will Tottenham regret selling Marcus Edwards?
“Marcus Edwards. He is insane,” Mavidid says when asked which Europe-based Englishman could soon be on Gareth Southgate’s radar.
“For me, he is one of the top three players I have played with. Dribbling, agility, low centre of gravity, his change of direction. I haven’t seen anyone better than him with my own eyes.
“The guy is a joke, in the pockets and on the turn.
“He’s in Portugal right now. Last year, I think he got seven or eight goals and a couple of assists. The year before that, he was doing the same. And, this year, he is also looking strong and on for the same numbers.
“He has proven that he can do it and play at a high level. I knew that already myself, but it is up to the world to see that.”
Edwards has eight goals and four assists to his name this season.
If his winter arrival helps Sporting retain their crown, it won’t just be Southgate casting admiring glances in his direction.
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