After idolising Sergio Aguero, Tyrese Campbell is focusing on firing Stoke City back into the Premier League

Stoke City’s Tyrese Campbell couldn’t have asked for a better footballing education growing up. 

As a child, Campbell could pick the brains of his dad, former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin, who scored goals with aplomb throughout his career and is adored by fans of both clubs. 

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Ask Tyrese, though, about whether there’s any similarities between him and his dad and he’s very quick to point out that the pair are very different players. While Kevin was an out-and-out striker, Tyrese’s versatility means he can play anywhere across the front line, if needed. 

That, perhaps, is why Campbell hasn’t tried to model himself on his dad. To be fair, he had plenty of other role models to choose from, with the 21-year-old coming through the ranks at Manchester City’s illustrious academy which has produced a wide-range of talent in recent years.

It was there where Campbell got to watch one of the Premier League’s greatest strikers of all time, Sergio Aguero, at close quarters.

For any young striker learning their trade, there surely can’t be anyone better to learn from then Aguero and speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Campbell revealed he got that clinical edge, that is so pivotal for any forward, by watching the Argentinian superstar.

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Asked about whether he felt pressure following in his dad’s footsteps, Campbell said: “I don’t feel pressure, I relish it. My dad is my dad, but I don’t view comparisons to him. I’m just building my own career and he will say the same and he’s said this from when I was born.

“We talk a little bit about specific stuff like movements in behind, holding the ball up and using my speed. I’ve never really tried to take too much off him. Maybe just his hold up play, but I’m a different player to him. He couldn’t really beat a player, whereas I can and I’m left footed!

“I was only young when I was there [at City]. I left at 16, so we didn’t get the opportunity to train with the first-team that much. Watching them and going to the games, you just see the quality of his [Aguero’s] movement and his finishing and that’s the sort of striker you want to be like. 

“When you get the chance, you want to score. You don’t want to be one of them that has seven or eight shots and not score or only score one. I wanted to be a clinical striker and still want to be, so it’s only right you learn from the best.”

Campbell has never been one to shy away from making big decisions in the early stages of his career. The 21-year-old is, perhaps, a bit of a trendsetter, as he paved the way for the likes of Jadon Sancho by becoming the first City youngster in his age group to leave the Etihad Stadium in pursuit of first-team football.

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That decision has since been vindicated with Campbell joining Stoke soon after and over the last two years, the forward has become of the Potters’ key players. 

He scored nine goals last season and was playing the best football of his career this campaign, only for a knee injury picked up against Cardiff City in December to rule him out until the summer.  

He has, though, proven himself to be one of the most exciting talents in the EFL, which is why Premier League clubs and the likes of Celtic and Rangers were all vying for his signature a year ago as he entered the last six months of his contract. 

However, Campbell remained loyal to Stoke by penning a new long-term deal – with boss Michael O’Neill a big influence in his decision to stay – and the forward now wants to get the Potters back to the top-flight, where they previously enjoyed plenty of success under the likes of Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes. 

“The gaffer [Michael O’Neill] has been great for me,” he says.

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“Obviously, when he came to Stoke, it was when I was in two minds with what was going to happen and I just needed to play football. He sat me down and said: ‘I want you to play’ and ‘I want you to stay,’ and things went from there. I played and started to score goals and assisted. 

“He’s given me confidence and he’s played me in a role where he knows my attributes can affect the team and help us score goals.

“I was never unhappy. I liked the club and all the lads were good and I settled in well. It’s obviously close to home for me and everything was perfect, except from me [not] playing. 

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“I had no issues with the club or anything, it was just a matter of playing and I needed to go and play at that stage of my career. I needed to go and play football and score goals. When it came to it, we had to look at the options. 

“My ideal scenario was to stay at Stoke. I didn’t want to leave and I’m just thankful it came off and I managed to get the minutes I needed and obviously, it was paying off before the injury.

“I think if you join the club and your ambition is not to play in the Premier League, then I don’t think it’s for you. We all believe we can get there. 

“I think we’ve got a great team. A couple more and we’ve got a great chance. I want to help the team get back in the Premier League and back to somewhere where they belong as they’ve played there for so many years.”

Playing for England is another ambition for Campbell in the future, but his main priority right now is to get back to full fitness after sustaining the first big injury of his career.

For many young players, nothing can mentally prepare you for that first serious injury and some struggle to come to terms with the situation they find themselves in, as well as all the work that lies ahead to get themselves back fit. 

Campbell, though, has relished the challenge and is determined to come back even better as he targets a pre-season return.

“It’s been eye opening for me,” he finished.

“Before, because I’m young and fit, I thought I could get away with stuff by not doing physio here and there or staying out the gym. Now, they really teach you to look after your body because my body is what helps me play the game and play week-in, week-out, so it’s been a good experience and I’ve enjoyed the journey.

“When I did it, it was weird. I fell over and I was like: ‘Ooh that didn’t feel right.’ I stood up and was walking and tried to jog and it was just cracking and I was like: ‘I don’t think that’s right.’ When I looked at it, it looked bent so I was like: ‘I’m going to have to go off here.’

“I was walking off around the pitch and it just kept clicking and crunching and it hit me then that this can’t be good. The physio had a look at it and put me in a brace and I went for a scan and it revealed what I had done.

“I just want to get back to the level I was playing at. I was enjoying my football and playing good football. The team was in good form and we felt we could beat every team in the league. I think it’s important for us to get back to that and for me to get my confidence back and get back to where I was.”