Sol Campbell, the former Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth defender, was on Monday night on the cusp of signing for the League Two side Notts County.
High-level sources at the club had expected the defender to join by the close of business on Monday after holding yet more talks at Meadow Lane, but it is believed that negotiations are ongoing. Should he put pen to paper, he will become the club’s highest profile signing since Sven Goran Eriksson was appointed as the club’s director of football this summer.
Campbell, who is currently a free agent, his contract at Portsmouth having expired last month, has been mulling over whether to join County since being approached by Eriksson two weeks ago. His hesitation over descending to the fourth tier of English football has derived from his desire to stay in contention for a place in England’s World Cup squad next year. However, it looks increasingly possible that after taking advice, and receiving little interest from Premier League sides such as Hull, Campbell has accepted that his days as an international player are over.
County are hoping that the prospect of up to three more years of competitive football will act as a suitable incentive to Campbell to make the drop to League Two. They are also relying on the defender’s interest in moving into management as an additional lure. He would be able to soak up invaluable experience for life after his playing career ends by working alongside Eriksson, a former England and Manchester City manager, while simultaneously collecting his coaching badges.
Additionally, the club foresee Campbell having a role to play in their plans to turn their centre of excellence into a facility worthy of Academy status. His involvement with a club at youth level would again give him extensive experience should he decide to turn to management. It would be on the pitch, however, where Campbell would see his immediate responsibilities lying.
County, who were taken over by Munto Finance last month with a five-year plan to reach the Championship, two weeks ago forked out a club-record fee, believed to be in the region of £1.5 million, for Kasper Schmeichel from Manchester City. It is possible that the club would agree to paying Campbell somewhere in the region of £30,000-a-week, which would be more than any other player in the division earns in a year.
The club were initially confident of signing him last Friday, the player having met Ian McParland, the manager, and Peter Trembling, the executive chairman, at a restaurant in the city centre before then being seen at the ground. However, they were not able to come to an agreement before the side’s 3-0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday.
It is no secret that McParland has asked for more signings before the transfer window closes next week, so time will be of the essence. The club’s owners are prepared to spend to see their ambitions of Championship football within five years realised, but they will not do so carelessly. They have budgeted for Campbell’s arrival, but should he pull out, they will need time to find and sign alternatives.
Even if he does join, he will not be given a free pass into the side. "He's going to be hard pushed to get in the team," McParland said. "We've got a great dressing room. Sol Campbell would add a lot to the squad, don't get me wrong. But we'll see."
Highs
1.) Campbell’s first match as a professional footballer was for Tottenham in December 1992, when he came on as a substitute for Nick Barmby. He actually began his career as a centre forward, and he made an immediate impact, scoring in the 88th minute against Chelsea.
2.) 73 caps for his country illustrates the impact he has had at an international level. He made his debut against Hungary on 18 May 1996, and almost exactly two years later, aged 23 years and 248 days, Campbell became the then-second-youngest captain after Bobby Moore in a 0-0 draw against Belgium.
3.) Being just one of five Englishmen to find the net in the Champions League final is another major achievement, as is winning the FA Cup three times with Arsenal. His greatest moment, though, must have been captaining Portsmouth when they won the trophy at Wembley in 2008.
Lows
1.) Sadly, Campbell has had plenty of lows to go alongside the myriad highs of his career. Perhaps the defining moment was his departure from Tottenham on a Bosman to Arsenal in 2001. Spurs fans burnt effigies outside White Hart Lane, and have called him Judas ever since.
2. Campbell caused a stir in 2006 by going missing after a 3-2 defeat to West Ham. Substituted at half-time, Campbell left the stadium and was not heard from for several days. Team-mate Robert Pirès said he had a “big worry” in his private life.
3. The vitriol he has been forced to endure since leaving Spurs raised its head in October last year, when he was subjected to racist chants and homophobic abuse from a number of Spurs fans, four of whom were later arrested and banned from every ground in the country.
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