Watford have been handed a huge boost to their hopes of bringing Rodrigo De Paul to Vicarage Road this summer. What’s the talk? That’s according to The Mirror journalist David Anderson, who claimed in a post on Twitter that Leeds United are now no longer in the race for the Udinese Calcio midfielder, who is reported to be a target of the Hornets this summer. However, a report by Tutto Atalanta would suggest that there still remains a great deal of interest in the £34.2m-rated man in the upcoming transfer window, with the outlet claiming that practically all of the big Italian sides have enquired about De Paul.
Never going to happen..... but I guess the thing in our favours is that the Italian clubs are all very likely interested, but are all completely skint, with even the champions having to cut their wage bill by 20%. I know we’re skint, but a lower level PL team gets as much TV revenue as a top Serie A team, but they’ll also be missing out on significantly higher gate receipts compared to us, whilst simultaneously having massively higher wage bills. If nobody can stump up what Pozzo wants this year they might be able to next year so he might send him to us for a season. I don’t see that as completely implausible, but it would surely completely shaft Udinese, imagine they went down as a result.
I'd have no problem with that either but does he need to be put in the shop window? It's pretty clear that he's a fantastic player. I can't believe clubs like Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs aren't all over him.
Italian clubs are struggling to find the cash hence offering player or players plus cash. It's up to Pozzo I suppose. But in all honesty his transition from Italy to England would be so easy for him coming to us, he would already know players and I expect everything will be done for him as it is in Udinese which it sounded that he liked.
Honestly I think they'd be okay without him. They stayed up comfortably this season & he would no doubt be replaced by someone who is at least decent. A season-long move to the Vic would make sense if nobody steps forward in this window with the sort of money the Pozzos are after, which given the current financial situation in Italy seems very possible. It would advertise his talents, plus it would have a massive impact on reestablishing us in the Prem.
How likely would Hauge to Udinese and de Paul to Watford be? Milan don't stand to gain, but neither Pozzo club misses out in that situation
He's baby-faced enough that he could pass for 20 years younger than Xisco, who hardly looks like a grandad himself!
On the other hand, this could be Udinese's Doucoure moment. Perhaps a lesson has been learned there and they'll take the money to reinvest it in the squad in other places. With the other Serie A clubs having no money they might be able to snap up some bargains, too.
The reason I looked that picture up is because I wanted to check my forthcoming assertion that he would also be one of our most handsome to pull on the shirt - in doing my research, I think I stand by it - but, crucially, only if he has facial hair. We might need to put something on that in the contract. With: Without:
Mind you, Udinese don't gain anything from just shifting him to us, all they do is lose a quality player
The Prem is the richest & most watched league in the world by some distance. If he came on loan to us & did well (which I have no doubt he would) it would significantly increase his value.
It wouldn't be market rate though, and since it's money being shifted between the Pozzos, wouldn't it reduce their ability to invest their personal money in the clubs in other ways?
That's hard to say for certain. The club has been very careful to create a clear dividing line between Udinese and Watford as far as ownership is concerned. We might get a small break versus other clubs, but I suspect we'd pay close to market rate (which right now is obviously somewhat depressed).
A loan deal to us would raise his profile even higher, so if nobody can afford him this year putting him in the shop window in the PL could be the best move for the Pozzo's.
There's no need to put him in the shop window, every club is fully aware of him and what he can bring.
Although do we really think the ex-Watford players in Udine will be telling him what a great move it is? Somehow I doubt it.
True. But if look at his social media, he’s very very cliquey with Pereyra, Pussetto, Deulofeu, Okaka...
Though of those I reckon both Pereyra and Deulofeu would still be positive about the club overall. It'd just be Pussetto and Okaka having a grumble.
Borre. Danjuma and De Paul in would be great. From a Udinese perspective and from understanding how the Pozzo’s clearly want to make money on players, despite the whole shop window thing I think we’ll be at the back of the line. I actually think the others are more likely. That’s still not very likely.
Would Pereyra be positive about his time here? He certainly had his moments in a Watford shirt, but rarely seemed particularly invested in us, I've seen posts of congratulations from even fairly peripheral figures like Pussetto and Jurado, but nothing from Pereyra
