https://www.bt.dk/fodbold/bt-afsloerer-ombejlet-dansker-skifter-til-england Out of contract and on the verge of joining us after a barnstorming season in Norway’s top flight. Goes as far as saying he’s currently undergoing a medical. Right winger, 19 goals and 24 assists in 28 games. Sporting, AC Milan and Fenerbahce all linked elsewhere. Was the player of the season in the Norwegian league.
Even wearing a Watford scarf. Philip Zinckernagel has taken Norway by storm. And now B.T can reveal that the transfer-free Dane is on the verge of switching to English Watford. Zinckernagel is currently undergoing a medical at the English Championship club. The Dane has just won the Norwegian championship with Bodø / Glimt, where he has delivered an excellent season, which also gave him the title of player of the year in the best Norwegian series. Here he delivered 19 goals and 24 assists in 28 games. And it has made him hot on the international transfer market, where it has hardly made the conditions much worse in that his contract with the Norwegian champions club expires in the new year. Previously, clubs such as Olympiakos and Sporting have also been mentioned as possible destinations, but now it seems that it will be English Watford who run with the Dane. B.T. has previously been able to tell that Zinckernagel has hired star agent Pini Zahavi to take care of his future. "He can open the doors to some bigger clubs and bigger leagues," Zinckernagel told B.T.'s podcast 'The Transfer Window' about the sensational collaboration. And now it seems that action has taken place behind the words. Zinckernagel has a past with HB Køge, FC Helsingør and Sønderjyske. Watford relegated from the Premier League last season, but they are well placed in the battle for promotion from the Championship in a fifth place that gives access to the playoffs.
I don't care how good he is, what he costs, or where he plays. We have to sign him purely for comedic effect.
Never seen him before, but can't argue with that record (obviously the Norwegian league ain't gonna be that good, but it can't be THAT much worse than the Championship, no?). A sign that Sarr is off? Or merely competition?
Competition you’d think at this stage but also a signing that doesn’t leave us in the lurch should he depart. We are short on numbers on the wings anyway and this guy has played quite a few times on the left too so seems a great option.
Hopefully Xisco has been consulted on this one but probably not. Looks exciting on paper, but no point signing him if he doesn't suit Xisco's style/formation
19 goals and 24 assists in just 28 games!! Ok, it's just the Norwegian league but that's pretty impressive. I've just checked the Eliteserien table and his club Bodo/Glimt scored 103 goals in just 30 games. Destroyed everyone, winning 26 of their 30 matches, losing just once. I wouldn't be surprised if their manager is going to be our next head coach. Plays on the right wing though, so I hope he's not a replacement for Sarr. He's listed as being able to play on the left or as secondary striker as well. He's 26 but only 5'7". Looking at his career stats, this season seems to have been a real purple patch one. His previous best scoring season was 7 in 2018 and 6 in 2019. But as an out of contract player, who will be very cheap, probably worth a punt, especially on the back of his last incredible season.
Wouldn't get a work permit so not sure how this is going ahead. Actually I make it 12/15 points, so will probably get accepted on appeal since he's won the best player in the league award.
To be fair, those stats are pretty incredible. Presumably the Norwegian league is somewhere around League Two level, so will be interesting to see if he can step up.
Yeah, I thought they reached the group stage of the EL (I remember they played against Milan which I wrongly assumed was the group stage!) which knocks some points off. Will be close and i'll be surprised if thats accepted on appeal, although I guess we don't know how strict the new process is yet.
Ha, this would awesome if true, if only because it would mean one of the rare occasions when a player randomly discussed at length in the transfer suggestions thread before we'd even been linked with them actually ends up signing. I'll admit that in the summer I wasn't sure about him, but having seen how well Hauge has done at Milan since leaving Glimt, and how desperate we are for players who are used to scoring, then I'll happily welcome him if it happens. I just hope he'll be taking Gray's spot in the team, or perhaps Cleverley's, rather than Sarr's...
Everyone seems happy. Could this be the signing to finally bring the bedwetters and clappers together at last?
Times are so hard every letter added to a shirt is important extra income for the club shop. On this basis a brilliant signing.
Given how well Jens Petter Hauge has done at Milan since leaving the same league with a similar record then I'd hope so. Hauge is still clearly more talented, but he's done better than I expected and maybe this guy could do as well.
If the signing falls through due to work permit issues it would also bring us together - but in annoyance. Or, if he's signed to enable Sarr to leave then there could be some division again.
I think loan players are also subject to the new work permit rules (but not entirely sure on this)? Alternatively we could sign him and do the opposite and loan him to Udinese for 6 months, which would surely give him enough points to qualify for a work permit in the summer.
But then as he'd be joining us from a Serie A club he'd automatically get 13 points (if Udinese just plonk him as an unused sub in their match vs Juve on the 3rd Jan)? Then we could just add the 5 points on top from him having played in the Europa League in the last 12 months?
Adam Leventhal @AdamLeventhal · 14s #WatfordFC transfer news Philip Zinckernagel having medical ahead of move from Bodo Glimt in Norway. Expect 4/5 year deal. Danish winger. Has scored 19 league goals in 28 games in 2020.
He really doesn't have a clue in terms of proper, exclusive information, does he? Probably got that news off of here.
Leventhal reporting it now. 4/5 year deal and confirming medical. Assume we’ve found a way around the work permit situation.
I've been talking to my Norwegian sporting correspondent (some bloke on Twitter) and he is really raving about the guy. Just had the best season ever by a player in Norway and he rates him as highly as Jens Petter Hauge!!, although concedes JPH has more potential. Apparently he's better as a wide forward coming in from the left side (not right as he's listed on Transfermkt)