The career of Marcus Edwards has already taken plenty of twists and turns, but on Saturday he opened what could turn out to be his most rewarding chapter.
Signed on loan from Portuguese giants Sporting on deadline day, the 26-year-old midfielder came off the bench to score the winner as Championship high-flyers Burnley dumped Premier League strugglers Southampton out of the FA Cup.
A product of Tottenham’s academy once compared to Lionel Messi, after six years in Portugal Edwards has returned to England with the goal of finally playing in the Premier League.
From Messi comparisons to the bench
Edwards joined Tottenham at eight years old, and before long his abilities drew comparisons to one of the greatest players of all time.
“The qualities, his body and the way that he plays, it is reminiscent a little bit from the beginning of Messi,” then Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said in 2016.
As often seems to happen, the comparison to Messi proved a curse. After loan spells with Norwich and Excelsior in the Netherlands, Edwards was released just three years later. Coaches were unconvinced by his ability and concerned about his behaviour and timekeeping.
“He was a young boy in and around London and when you’re a young boy sometimes there’s a difference in the way you are, but he’s matured and there’s no denying he’s a special talent,” Burnley manager Scott Parker – who worked with Edwards at Spurs – told BBC Radio Lancashire.
Without a club at 20 years old, Edwards took the brave decision to move abroad, signing a four-year deal with Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal’s top flight.
There he spent two and a half seasons – during which he made his European bow in the Europa League – before Sporting signed him in January 2022.
Under the management of now Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, Edwards’ stock rose significantly – to the point where he was linked with a move to Liverpool.
In 120 appearances for Sporting he provided 26 assists and scored 24 goals, one of which came against former club Tottenham on his second career outing in the Champions League.
Yet this season didn’t go according to plan. Amorim’s departure for United, combined with a month on the sidelines with injury, led to Edwards falling out of favour.
His last appearance for Sporting came on 30 November, more than two months before he joined Burnley.
