Marcus Edwards insists he has “grown up” since leaving Tottenham for Portugal and says he wants to return to English football one day.
Edwards scored a brilliant goal against his former club and was named UEFA’s player of the match, as Sporting CP held Spurs to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last night.
Despite being regarded as one of the most naturally-gifted players to come through Spurs’ academy, Edwards left his boyhood club in 2019 after just one senior appearance and amid suggestions of attitude problems.
Asked if he had matured since leaving England, initially for Portuguese club Estoril, Edwards told Standard Sport: “Definitely, that is naturally going to happen with age.
“I have grown up in a lot of ways, I’m 23 and last time I was at Tottenham, I was only 17, 18. I was only a baby, so I have grown up. I was just a kid, you know what kids are like.”
Asked if he would recommend other players go to Portugal, Edwards said: “Definitely. Everyone has a different journey. For me it worked out, going over there and it clicked straight away.
“It has been good for me, but I would love to play in England [again] and be near my family.”
Edwards insisted he did not have a point to prove to his former club, but said playing in front of his friends and family was an extra motivation.
Marcus Edwards bags on his return to north London!! 🙌
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 26, 2022
The former Spurs youth product has scored a screamer to put Sporting 1-0 up! 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/IluJUJceCY
“Coming back here in front of everyone I know, it was great fun,” he said. “Coming into the game I was naturally on edge, I have got a lot of friends watching. When the game started it was easy, I scored, a lot of emotions came out.
“I don’t feel like [I proved a point], I just play every game the same. The extra motivation was having my friends and family there.”
