Crystal Palace midfielder Will Hughes has recalled being linked with Barcelona as a teen with Derby County.
As Scholar of the Year and Football League Player of the Month, Hughes, with his Iniesta-like ability, began to be linked with all manner of Premier League and European clubs.
Barely a year earlier he was an Under-18, and now the headlines talked of Catalonia.
“There’s always going to be an element of it going to your head because you’re so young and have just been thrust into the limelight,” he told Palace’s website. “You’re hearing stories of going to so and so, going here, going there. The players I had around me and manager I had around me told me the best thing for my development was playing games. That’s what I was doing at 17 regularly, week in, week out in the Championship.
“Nothing actually came in front of me to go. There was interest, but at 16/17 playing week in, week out there’s going to be interest in anyone… Rumours fly around here, there and everywhere and 90% aren’t true. Even if something had come up I probably wouldn’t have gone, because players get lost.
“That Barcelona [rumour] was part of the 90%. Anyone can make up a rumour and put it in the paper and people are like: ‘Ah, he’s doing this.’ Absolute rubbish. I could make up a rumour and put it in the paper tomorrow; it’s that simple. But that was fabricated.”
Perhaps this explains Hughes’ attitude towards the media: he’s not remotely hostile, giving plenty of time and insight for this interview, but he has never sought to build his own brand.
“It’s not my cup of tea,” he says. “Crack on, by all means. But it’s just not my cup of tea. I want to come in, work hard and enjoy my life off the pitch.
“I don’t mind [interviews] at all. It’s part of it. Fans want certain insight to the players they’ve paid to come and watch, which is absolutely fine. I think they’ll see me working 100% on the pitch and that’s all they can ask for. They know. They’re not stupid, they can see if a player’s trying their hardest or not.”
Need a VPN? Or seeking to switch? Then support Tribal Football by clicking here to sign up with our official partners NordVPN. Not only will you receive the best VPN experience, but also great discounts by signing up via Tribal Football. Thanks for your support!
