Watford and Everton fans, brace yourselves because there’s a possible headache coming your way.
We’ll start at the very beginning, which is the premise for this rather ridiculous affair: Paris Saint-Germain need a new defensive midfielder.
Restricted financially by FFP rules, the Ligue 1 champions can’t spend huge amounts of money on their desired targets, and clubs know this, meaning they’re holding them to ransom.
One of the first targets to appear in all this was Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucouré, who has taken the Premier League by storm over the last couple of seasons and who has made it clear he will leave Vicarage Road either in January or in the summer.
Aware of this and happy to help the player, the Hornets are prepared to let him go, but only for €50m.
The way the market is going, that seems like a reasonable price, and one many clubs will be able to afford… in the summer.
Paris Saint-Germain then decided to focus on other targets, which leads us to Everton’s Idrissa Gueye.
Perhaps more defensive minded, there was hope the Senegalese midfielder would be cheaper, but the French side, who only want to spend €30m or so on their man, are once again being told they would need to go beyond their limits to get their man.
So far, so good.
Now, for the slightly messy part.
France Football on Thursday have an update on the situation, claiming that Paris Saint-Germain are being blocked in their endeavours by Watford, not because they want to sign Doucouré, but because Everton do.
According to the outlet, the Toffees have earmarked the former Rennes midfielder as Idrissa Gueye’s replacement should he leave for the French capital, yet they are facing the same problem the Ligue 1 side couldn’t find an answer to: the Hornets’ demands.
Watford, not wanting to bolster a league rival, are also demanding €50m from Everton for Doucouré, which is said to be ‘blocking all negotiations’.
So, until someone caves in, we’re at a standstill. Great.
