[SOLD] Will Hughes

I still don’t take it as a given he’s off - more that he won’t be included in any first team business whilst the current situation remains.

I think there’s still a long way to go before a club offers an acceptable amount.

 

There’s no way back for him now, he wants out, we don’t want him, he doesn’t want to be here.

Think clubs are just waiting until deadline day sign him. Newcaslte/Palace/Leeds are who I think will bid for him on deadline day.

 

He looks absolutely delighted to be playing.

 

Yeah he's very much in the departure lounge.

It's a damn shame.

 

There’s a few assumptions in there.

Yes there is a way back - no clubs could come in and offer worthy money. And they may be clubs that don’t appeal to him even if they do.
Of course we want him! We just want him committed.
‘He doesn’t want to be here’ is a tough one - because it suggests he wants out at any cost. Which I don’t believe is true. He just believes the grass could be greener… He certainly wouldn’t be playing at all tonight if any move was close.

I don’t say that because I believe he will stay. And my thoughts on him leaving are known above somewhere. But let’s not go off the deep end either - likely he’s leaves? Yes. Definite he leaves? No.

I don’t put him in the same bracket as players like Pereyra or Deulofeu were last summer. They were clearly gone and had no interest in being here. I just doubt that’s true of Hughes.

 

At least he has a training kit, unlike Perica and Navarro!

What an honour for the St Albans lads, to grace a field with those two!

 

I wouldn’t say that we don’t want him, apparently we offered him a big payrise, we just can’t give him as much as other more established clubs, plus we can’t give him the stability and better players to play with he’d get elsewhere.

I agree he will go on deadline day for whoever offers the most a few minutes before the deadline. If only one club is interested it will be for next to nothing relatively speaking.

 

He’s alright, but if I had to pick out of him and Chalobah, I reckon Nate has a higher ceiling.

 

But he'll also want to impress other clubs so someone actually wants to sign him.

 

He’ll be a free agent and be able to command a huge signing on fee, he’ll get a decent move whatever he does between now and then. Of course if he gets a serious injury he’s absolutely screwed.

 

I'm still not sure what Prem clubs will want him tbh. Maybe other newly promoted clubs or a move abroad.

Can't ever see him being a starter for a team in the top half. Maybe first team football isn't his priority though.

 

Wouldn't shock me if Silva tries to take hime to Fulham.

 

Only started him in four games whilst he was with us. I seemed to remember he didn't really fancy him but was surprised it was quite so few!

Edit: unless Hughes was injured, which is entirely possible!

 

Sooner he leaves the better if he don't want to wear the shirt

 

New Athletic article on the situation in the morning apparently.

 

“May or may not go. Time will tell. New midfielder may or may not join”.

 

One to watch.

 

On paper we look very strong favorites for relegation given the fact our squad looks utterly rancid.

We are trying to tie Hughes down to a long term deal which will have fairly poor wages (relative to what he could potentially earn elsewhere at a PL club as a squad player) with no easy way out in the event he is relegated.

I don't think this is a situation of him forcing a move because he hates the place. However in the circumstances of funds/ poor transfer activity he presumably feels relegation is a very strong possibility and the relegation wages are not enough.

 

One to watch indeed. AL was at the St Albans match and got an exclusive interview.

I’ve been given a first extract as a teaser directly from Leventhal. "Will Hughes was directly asked what is the ongoing situation with his contract situation. "

Spoiler: [I]This is Hughes' response[/I]

"f&$K off you %$£

 

He's just going to tell us about every touch Hughes had, then say there's no change in the contract situation.

 

Clevz and Gozzers are much better players. Glad we have those boys tied down long term.

 

Hughes was tidy with the ball without being dangerous. Clearly didn't want to get too stuck in, he pulled out of a few challenges. He was quite vocal though and gave lots of instructions to some of the younger players.

 

“Whatever you do, don’t accept the relegation clause”

 

Does anyone know anything about the rumours linking Will Hughes with Crystal Palace? Are they just rumours or is there any substance to them? There is even a thread about signing Hughes on one of the Palace message boards, but the source of the rumour seems to originate from Watford fans.

 

"And try and avoid being in Foster's stupid videos. If he comes near swear at him repeatedly."

 

My big hope is that we got our business done early so we might begin a little better than the diabolical Gracia/QSF start.

 

In AL’s piece this morning, nothing that we didn’t already know was revealed, however, a “source” close to the situation described Watford as being “brutal” and “petty” by freezing Hughes out.

I don’t think it’s the right way to deal with it. It’s hardly going to make Hughes have a rethink if he’s being marginalised like this. Apparently he still wants to play, wants to be involved and has a lot of affection for the club and fans.

He’s still our player for another year. If we treated him well during times like this he may change his mind over the contract. The more he plays for the U23’s the more he’s likely to force a move out.

Right now he’s looking at his options, but it doesn’t look like clubs are queuing up for him. Gino is probably a bit too emotional at times and is probably behind the instruction not to use him. I doubt this is Xisco’s decision.

 

I disagree, if a player won’t sign a new deal with you then what is the point in including them in your plans? Makes no sense at all to me. You can’t rely on a player who wants to run their deal down.

 

It depends on who the player is. If it's clear he wants to go, no matter what, then yes you cannot keep a player like that, but it really doesn't appear to be the case. It sounds like he doesn't want to go, but doesn't like some of the terms in the new contract. There's a difference.

If no one is willing to sign him for the money we want, as appears to be the case, then play him. If nothing else, it could be a shop window to remind wavering clubs about how good he is. Making him train on his own and play for the U23's does no one any good. Not good for the player or the club. It's just sour grapes to act like this.

 

We don’t really know the full situation, but I’m pretty sure the athletic said he was offered a significant payrise. Even if no clubs come in for him between now and the end of the window the chances of him then signing a new deal with us are slim to none regardless, as he’ll be far better off financially a free agent. he’s got to the last year of his deal so if he won’t sign now, he won’t sign ever, so it’s pointless for him to be included in our plans.

 

I agree with a19tgg, no point including a player in your preparations if they won’t be around when the season properly starts.

Head says he’s gone already. We’ll be forced to accept £3-5m from somewhere and will not replace him adequately.
Heart says maybe he won’t get offered a much better deal elsewhere and will decide he’s better off staying put. Still our best midfielder and nobody we’ve been linked to is an improvement, despite the claims of many that we could upgrade easily.

 

He'll probably end up leaving the club and they won't even acknowledge it. That's how our hierarchy roll.

 

The club already set a precedent last summer with making any player who isn't committed train outside the group, it seemed pretty sensible then and ultimately served the club well. It won't be anything personal against Hughes, but while he's in this boat he will be subject to the club's established policy.

 

No doubt he does want to be involved with things and doesn’t like being frozen out, but equally he has to accept there are consequences to not signing a new deal. He basically wants to have his cake and eat it, which is understandable but not realistic.

 

I really doubt the pay increase is the issue. There’s likely clauses included (or not included) that are causing the stalemate. By rejecting the deal, Hughes is showing his hand that those clauses will never be acceptable.

I don’t think this is an immediate monetary issue to be honest and I doubt he is swayed by a signing-on fee or bigger wages from elsewhere.