Former Tottenham footballer Marcus Edwards flips his Range Rover in a car crash while driving to training on the outskirts of Lisbon

• Marcus Edwards spent four years at Tottenham before moving to Portugal 
• Sporting take on group leaders Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday 
• Pressure is easing on Man United boss Erik ten Hag: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off 

Sporting Club forward Marcus Edwards was involved in a car crash on Wednesday morning in Atalaia, Portugal. 

The former Tottenham star was thought to be on his way into the club’s final preparations for their Europa League clash with Atalanta on Thursday when the incident took place. 

While emergency responders were quick to the scene, with ambulances and fire engines in attendance, neither Edwards nor the driver of the other vehicle were thought to have been hurt. 

The 24-year-old is thought to be shaken despite escaping without notable injuries, with a car attributed to him pictured flipped on its side on the side of the road. 

Reports suggest that the forward was in the company of club officials Bruno Rosa and Paulo Almeida, and the player is expected to be monitored by Sporting’s medics. 

English winger Marcus Edwards suffered a car accident on his way to training on Wednesday

Edwards’ car was pictured on its side on the side of the road following the collision on Wednesday

Neither Edwards nor the other driver are thought to have sustained any serious injuries in the collision

Your browser does not support iframes.

An overturned car pictured at the scene was identified as Edwards’ vehicle in local reports about the crash. 

Images also showed a number of responders at the scene, having coned off the crash site, with glass from damaged windows across the road.

The other car believed to have been involved in the collision can be seen further up the road from Edward’s Range Rover, and has visible damage to the front left wheel and bumper.  

Sporting’s training session was due to start at 10am local time and is thought to have been delayed slightly as a result. 

Club representatives are understood to have gone to the scene of the accident to assist Edwards.

The footballer has not yet made any comment on his social media.

The Portuguese outfit are due to make the trip to Italy ahead of Thursday’s clash, which will take place at 5.45pm.

The visitors need a win to have a hope of finishing top of the group, sat on seven points three behind Thursday’s opponents Atalanta on 10 with two to play. 

Edwards has thrived at Sporting since signing from rivals Vitoria Guimaraes two-and-a-half years ago

The 24-year-old is thought to have a release clause of around £52million in his Sporting deal

Although he is believed to have escaped unscathed, his participation in the game is understandably now thought to be unclear. 

Born in England, Edwards came through the ranks at Tottenham and made just one senior appearance before moving on to Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal, signing for Sporting two-and-a-half years later in January 2022. 

His decision to move abroad has however seen his career sky-rocket, and he had managed a creditable 38 goals and 35 assists in 179 games in Portugal in all competitions. 

The 24-year-old has been capped almost 50 times by different England age groups, although he has never been called up to the senior side.

Yet his form, particularly last term, had seen him linked with a potential call-up by Gareth Southgate, and he is currently considered among the Three Lions best performing players on foreign shores, behind Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. 

Despite hinting that he could be interested in a return to England in future, the deal for Spurs to bring Pedro Porro from the Portuguese capital to north London saw them waive a percentage of their sell-on clause for Edwards. 

His contract at the Portuguese giants contains a £52million release clause, with his former club among the teams linked with his services. 

It’s claimed that Tottenham have a buy-back option that would allow them to pay £34m for Edwards – 65 per cent of his £52m release clause at Sporting. 

Ange Postecoglou’s side have a buy-back clause for Edwards (right) who left Spurs in 2019 

Edwards, after scoring against Tottenham in October 2022, said that he has grown up since he originally left Spurs for Vitoria Guimaraes. 

He told reporters: ‘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 definitely grown up.

‘I was just a kid, you know what kids are like. I was just a kid growing up, so I could be like, whatever. Of course I was naturally a bit of a Spurs fan but I was playing for the club and went to all the games and stuff.

‘Everyone has a different journey. For me it worked out, going over to Portugal. It took me a long time though.’

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Source: Read Full Article