Being relegated from the Premier League is never easy, and Watford’s situation was no different over the summer.
The Hornets had to undergo some fairly big squad changes in certain areas, with the likes of Abdoulaye Doucouré, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra all leaving Vicarage Road for greener pastures.
However, one of the areas they really needed to work on was at left-back, with only Adama Masina as a natural in the role, yet no player was bought.
That doesn’t mean they didn’t try, as L’Avenir explain during an interview with Nurio Fortuna that Watford ‘especially’ wanted to sign the Angola international to bolster their defence.
In the end, he signed for KAA Gent in the Jupiler Pro League in a £5.4m transfer from RSC Charleroi in the summer.
Speaking to the Belgian outlet, the 25-year-old explained why he opted to remain in the same league instead of switching to Watford.
He said: “My first idea was to sign abroad, but the project I was sold by Gent interested me, especially the eventual possibility of playing in the Champions League – a competition that makes me dream – all the while being able to stay in a league I already knew i thought it was the right time and right place to go up a level”.
Fortuna isn’t exactly a new target for Watford, having already tried to sign him two years ago, seeing a €5m offer turned down when he was still at Charleroi.
