Ex-Liverpool prospect Bobby Duncan hits out at former agent three years on from Fiorentina move

Former Liverpool forward Bobby Duncan has hit out at his former agent for working to “jeopardise” his career, three years on from a controversial move to Fiorentina.

Duncan, then considered a rising star at Liverpool, made headlines in 2019 when then-agent Saif Rubie accused the club of causing the youngster “deep mental health issues” before negotiating a move to the Serie A team. The Reds always denied such claims.

However, the attacker – who is also a cousin of Reds legend Steven Gerrard – has struggled since the transfer and now plays for Spanish third-tier team Real Balompedica Linense after a failed spell at Derby County.

On Monday, Rubie made an explosive radio appearance, telling talkSPORT: “I actually advised him [Duncan] to stay at Liverpool and you have to understand one thing, which is what I was trying to tell you guys, my job is to do the best for whoever is telling me to help them. 

“In that particular case, you can choose to believe me or not, I thought him staying was the best outcome. It wasn’t meant to be, and in the end it got a bit ugly with Liverpool, which is unfortunate.”

But Duncan, who dropped Rubie as his agent shortly after joining the Viola, has refuted those claims in a series of fiery tweets, asserting: “You and I both know the truth. 

“I didn’t have a decision nor say as you took it upon yourself to jeopardise my career and to turn a local lad away from his boyhood club and leave me and my family to pick up all the pieces.

You and I both know the truth.

I didn’t have a decision nor say as you took it upon yourself to jeopardise my career and to turn a local lad away from his boyhood club and leave me and my family to pick up all the pieces.

— Bobby Duncan (@bobbyduncan999) September 5, 2022

“Not once have I spoken upon this topic in four years as it’s been my main priority to get my career back on track. Yet you think you have the right to mention my name on a live radio show.

“The truth will be told by myself when the time is right. I should never have trusted my career in your hands. I have learnt my harsh lesson there. And I just pray you have learnt yours as it could ruin another young boy’s career. 

“And lastly, just to clarify, there was no advising given as you point blank made your mind up, publicly, and by then the damage had been done.”

Rubie also worked as an intermediary on Antonio Rudiger’s move from Chelsea to Real Madrid earlier this year and used his radio appearance to claim Los Blancos’ offer was the smallest the German received. 

“Antonio Rudiger has been one of the best, if not the best, defender in the world and Premier League,” he said.

“It made Carlo Ancelotti want to bring him to Real Madrid. What is the value of a top-flight, top-level centre-half in the game?

“What if I told you Chelsea, and the old regime, basically made next to no effort to keep the player.

“At the time he was very happy to stay and potentially be the captain of the club. He was offered a contract that was half the amount Romelu Lukaku was earning.

“Let me confirm this, live on air, the Real Madrid deal was the smallest deal on offer. There was a club in England offering almost double the amount and a club in Europe doubling the amount.

“I’m not going to discuss the specifics. Everyone knows there were teams interested in this player. He was one of the best in the world.”