Recently reported as being interested in Nantes’ Enock Kwateng alongside Southampton, Watford appear to be on the market for a new right-back.
Not only are they looking at the Ligue 1 player for the summer, as his contract is set to expire in June, but there’s a belief the Hornets made an attempt to sign Cristiano Piccini from Valencia in January.
Well, actually, that’s what Calciomercato are saying, seemingly jumping to the conclusion that Watford are the ‘London-based’ club in the ‘bottom half of the table’ described in a Marca report on Tuesday morning who had a bid rejected for the player .
Seeing as the Hornets are neither in London nor in the bottom half of the table, that means it’s more likely to be either Crystal Palace or Fulham.
The Spanish outlet do not give a club name, but explain whoever did put in an offer made it a ‘succulent’ one, believed to have been a loan until the end of the season for €1m and an option to buy for €10m between now and the summer.
With Aaron Wan-Bissaka the comfortable started at Selhurst Park, we’d be leaning towards Fulham here, who tend to rely on Cyrus Christie.
Perhaps Claudio Ranieri felt some fresh blood up and down the right-hand side would have helped him escape relegation.
Valencia, who signed the defender from Sporting CP last summer, rejected the Premier League club’s advances because they wouldn’t have had enough time to replace him, and the player wasn’t open to leaving.
While that was everyone’s answer in January, the summer could be a completely different kettle of fish, as Marca point out Piccini has it ‘in his head’ to play in England one day.
Should the opportunity arise again, and Valencia accept the offer, leaving it up to him, he would most likely say yes.
