Academy And Under-23s

Think he’s doing both jobs.

 

Contract news in...

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/news-academy-contract-offers-departures

I'm surprised Coyne and Fraser-Grante have been offered new deals. Coyne is energetic but lacks any real quality on the ball either when in defence or midfield. He's also quite fiery, which is no bad thing, but this often translates into needless fouls after he makes mistakes. Fraser-Grante just looks a bit powder-puff right now and doesn't strike me as a dynamic type of wide forward/midfielder.

George Abbott is also interesting as the club could just have easily exercised the extra year option from his last contract update. Possible 6th centre-back option for the season ahead? Probably another loan though.

I'm also pleased to see Josh Mullins has been offered new terms, hopefully a loan higher up the leagues next season to really see where he's at. And nice to see Jake Watkiss get offered something too as he really looks to be taking to the attacking left-back role. Not anywhere near 1st team level as of now but if he keeps improving as he did this season just gone he may offer something in a couple of years.

No real surprises with those not being offered new deals, in my opinion. I thought the club may persevere with Charlie Davis as he was a regular throughout the last couple of seasons so it'll be interesting who steps up in central midfield now for the under 21's.

 

Only players I can't see info on are Luigi Gaspar and Aaron Burton - so it's unclear if they've had a new contract offer or been released. Otherwise everyone seems to be on a contract until 2025 now most likely, apart from Eames, Grieves and Adeyemo. Unsure about Shaq Forde, but I presume he's until 2025 as well.

 

I'd say they're staying because all released players have been deleted from the relevant team pages and both Gaspar & Burton are still there.

For Burton it may be he's been offered a 3rd year as a scholar? That wouldn't explain why it hasn't been included in the news though.

The only other reason I can think of as to why neither were included is if both have suffered long term injuries and the club have added an extra 6 months/year to their existing contract by default, to make sure they're with an income while any treatment is ongoing. That's the best I can come up with on a busy day though.

 

Me again!

Gaspar looks like he's knackered his right knee during training earlier this month so I may have guessed right and the club are looking after his treatment etc.. A long post on instagram says it was a non-contact injury but doesn't go into any detail.

Still looking for anything Aaron Burton related.

 

Did he just get injured as a way of making himself even more attractive to us and cementing a contract offer ?

 

Not just injured, but according to the post alongside the photo's he talks of this being the third such injury. If he were a stick of rock it would say Watford Football Club all the way through him. #ClubLegend (albeit a broken leg end)