Newcastle United favourite Philippe Albert believes Malick Fofana’s deadline day move to Sunderland was a clear demonstration of “the modern state of football”.
The Belgian icon has been speaking to Le Soir about various players and their transfer moves, or lack of them in the case of Nicolas Raskin, to day.
Deadline day drama
New Sunderland winger Malick Fofana was part of that discussion. He joined Sunderland on deadline day but only after some last-minute transfer chaos.
He was initially set for Sunderland before Crystal Palace entered the picture. That left the player in limbo, deciding between the two clubs. He eventually opted for Sunderland amid reports that his agents had negotiated better terms with the Black Cats.
Crystal Palace then matched those terms to add more drama to proceedings. The 21-year-old, eventually, elected to head to the Stadium of Light and bring the deadline day saga to an end.
But it did leave observers questioning what had gone on behind the scenes. The bulk of the criticism was aimed at the player’s advisors. Albert is one of those who was less than impressed.
“It reflects the state of modern football, where abuses are rife among intermediaries. A player’s best interests now take a back seat,” the former Newcastle United player said.
Sunderland the right choice
He does, though, believe that Sunderland was ultimately the better choice than Crystal Palace for the Belgian winger.
“If I had to choose between Sunderland and Crystal Palace right now, just as he did, I would have made the same choice,” he added.
“From a sporting perspective, Sunderland is an interesting club; they were promoted back to the Premier League last season, the manager (Régis Le Bris) is doing an excellent job, and the atmosphere is fantastic.
“So, for me, it’s a great move. Sunderland, in the North East of England, isn’t like the big cities; there is less pressure surrounding the club. He’ll have a quiet life. And if his mindset is right, things will go well.”
