COLLINS IS ON COURSE FOUR THE VERY TOP
NATHAN COLLINS will be snapped up by a top four club in a matter of years if his career trajectory remains on an upward curve.
That’s the view of former Ireland defender Damien Delaney, who likes what he sees in his fellow centre-back.
Collins stole the show for the Boys in Green in June by topping off four outstanding performances with a sensational individual goal against Ukraine.
And that prompted Wolves to make him the most expensive Irish player of all time with a €24m move from Burnley.
But former Crystal Palace ace Delaney reckons Collins (21) will take that additional pressure in his stride.
“I don’t think it will bother him in the slightest,” he said yesterday.
“He seems like an ultra-confident character. To go from Stoke to Burnley to Wolves in such quick succession shows that if you deliver, people are always watching.
“Getting into the Ireland squad and hitting the ground running like he did didn’t faze him and I don’t think the price tag will bother him.”
Improve
Delaney continued: “Wolves bought him to improve their team now and he does that straight away.
“But €24m for a centre-back these days is not an extortionate amount of money.
“In the next two or three years, if he delivers the performances, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a top four or top six team come in and pay an extortionate amount of money.
“He has that potential. Everyone you speak to about him says he’s a great lad and very coachable and he has the physical attributes required.
“He’s as mobile a centre-back as you’re going to get, he’s deceptively quick and can seriously handle the ball and he’s brave.
He has everything you need to go again.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Vieira has been told that Crystal Palace must do more than just survive in the Premier League this season.
Vieira (46) steered the Eagles to a respectable 12th position last season and an FA Cup semi-final appearance.
Delaney made 130 Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace from 2012 to 2018 and the Corkman feels
Vieira goes into his second season at the club with added weight on his shoulders.