Barry Douglas has been discussing the circumstances surrounding his £3 million move to Leeds United in 2018.
Barry Douglas has revealed that his £3 million move to Leeds United changed his perspective on football, since he was quickly sold by Wolverhampton Wanderers despite playing a major role in their promotion to Premier League.
The Scottish left-back joined Wolves in 2017 and has appeared in 39 of their 46 Championship games, scoring five goals and giving 14 assists, putting him joint top of the assist records with Aston Villa’s Robert Snodgrass. Douglas, on the other hand, was not available to participate in Wolves’ first season back in the Premier League since he moved to Leeds for £3 million in the summer.
The 35-year-old was the first permanent signing under Marcelo Bielsa, following the completion of loan agreements for Chelsea’s Jamal Blackman and Lewis Baker earlier that summer. Following a play-off defeat in 2019, Douglas was promoted to the Whites in 2020, as Bielsa’s side won the Championship. On the Under The Cosh podcast, Douglas stated that he had no bitter feelings regarding his departure from Wolves, but said it demonstrated the lack of loyalty in sport.
“I had a terrific relationship with him [Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo] and never had any issues. Even after I left, there was a lot of discussion about how and why I left. It was never really addressed because you don’t want to put things in the public. People will build their own narrative,” said the defender, who signed with St Johnstone last month after being a free agent for a few months.
“There was never any animosity.” My agent was discussing a new contract near the end of the season, but it felt like there was some stalling, and I sensed something was wrong. It was pre-season, and my agent contacted and said the manager was going to chat with me. He [Nuno] called me aside and sat me down. He told me how much he admired me, but that they had received a bid from Leeds and would take it.
“He stated it was in everyone’s best interests for me to accept it and leave. After everything I’d done, I felt like I’d earned the opportunity to play in the Premier League. I am all for rising to the challenge of competing with someone; that is the opportunity I seek. He stated that they were planning to bring someone in, that selling me would help them afford that, and that they would go with that person and one young kid [as left-back alternatives].
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“I was warned that if I stayed, I would not be included, basically. He stated that it is strictly commercial and not personal. I was large and ugly enough to get along with it and try something new. At that point, I had a different perspective on football. There is no loyalty in football. It’s just business at the end of the day.”
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